Tennessee Legend Peyton Manning Makes ESPN's Top 100 Athletes List

Former Tennessee Volunteer Peyton Manning made ESPN's list of top 100 athletes since 2000.

Jun 24, 2024; Omaha, NE, USA; Tennessee Volunteers men’s basketball coach Rick Barnes, Peyton Manning and Morgan Wallen watch the game against the Texas A&M Aggies during the fourth inning at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports / Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

Former Tennessee Volunteer Peyton Manning made ESPN's list of top 100 athletes since 2000.

There have been a lot of great athletes to siphon through the University of Tennessee athletic department, but none are greater than former quarterback Peyton Manning. He is one of the greatest quarterbacks at both the college and professional level, and had a very prestigious career before he ultimately retired.

Because of that, ESPN released its list of the top 100 athletes since the year 2000 and Manning made the list. He didn't make the top 10 or the top 20 or even the top 25, but he was on the list. He came in at No. 26 behind other football players like Aaron Donald, Patrick Mahomes and of course Tom Brady. Here is what ESPN wrote about Manning:

"Manning already had a Hall of Fame career when he arrived in Denver in 2012 -- 11 Pro Bowl selections, five first-team All-Pro selections, nine 4,000-yard passing seasons and a Super Bowl win in his 14 years with the Colts. He signed with the Broncos after a missed season in 2011, his fourth neck surgery and a bit of uncertainty about whether physically he could play at the level he wished. His four years in Denver answered those questions with four AFC West titles, two Super Bowl trips and a Super Bowl win. His masterpiece might have been the 2013 season, when the Broncos broke the league's scoring record with 606 points and Manning set records with 5,477 passing yards and 55 touchdowns, including seven in the season opener. The Broncos topped 40 points six times and 50 points three times. Current Dolphins associate head coach and former Broncos assistant Eric Studesville said: "I've never seen anything like Peyton and those guys that year. I don't think anybody has. That was just an all-time great with the ball in his hands doing all-time great things at a level nobody else has been to.'' -- Jeff Legwold"

Manning was nominated to the Hall of Fame in 2021, he was a two-time Super Bowl champion, won the MVP award five times which is the most in league history and was named to the Pro Bowl 14 times.

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