Louisiana's Manning and Faneca voted into Pro Football Hall of Fame

Louisiana natives quarterback Peyton Manning and guard Alan Faneca were voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as members of the 2021 Class.

Peyton Manning and Alan Faneca were born in New Orleans, LA, in the same year, 1976. The two great football standouts were honored and voted as members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame for 2021. 

The Louisiana natives will be enshrined with the other 2021 Class members coach TOM FLORES, wide receiver CALVIN JOHNSON, safety JOHN LYNCH, contributor BILL NUNN, wide receiver DREW PEARSON, and cornerback/safety CHARLES WOODSON.

Feb 26, 2020; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Detailed view of statue of former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning outside of Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Manning's and Faneca's careers converged and paralleled throughout their time in football.  Born in the City of New Orleans in the same year.  Graduated high school and started in the SEC in the same year.  Drafted in the first round on the same day and year.  Last, both will be enshrined as first-ballot Hall of Famers in the same year.

Manning lived and prepped at Newman High School in New Orleans. Although Faneca was born in NOLA, he played his high school football in the greater Houston, TX area's powerhouse at Lamar Consolidated High School.

Peyton Manning

Newman High School in New Orleans; Credit: Mike Detillier

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Alan Faneca

LSU; Credit: Mike Detillier

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Both football stars attended and finished from SEC programs. Manning selected the University of Tennessee, while Faneca chose Louisiana State University. In the 1998 NFL Draft, the two Louisianians' professional careers began as first-round picks for two American Football Conference (AFC) teams, Indianapolis Colts (Manning) and Pittsburgh Steelers (Faneca).

Sep 30, 2018; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Former Pittsburgh Steelers great Alan Faneca watches from the sidelines before the Steelers and Baltimore Ravens game at Heinz Field. Faneca is being inducted into the Steelers Hall of Honor. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports

During their NFL tenure, the player's respective teams battled in several regular and postseason contests. After years of Pro Bowls, All-Pro, and All-Decade team selections, the two Super Bowl champions will culminate their incredible careers with enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame later in 2021.

The enshrinees honors and accolades provided by the Pro Football Hall of Fame:

Former Colts quarterback Peyton Manning and team owner Jim Irsay during the halftime festivities of their game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lucas Oil Stadium, Oct 8, 2017.  Credit: Matt Kryger/IndyStar, IndyStar via Imagn Content Services, LLC

PEYTON MANNING

Quarterback … 6-5, 230 … Tennessee … 1998-2011, Indianapolis Colts; 2012-15, Denver Broncos

• 18 seasons, 266 games … 
• Selected by Colts as first overall pick of 1998 NFL Draft … 
• Premier quarterback during his 18-season NFL career … Started in all but one of his 266 career games … 
• Selected first overall in the 1998 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts … 
• 14 seasons with 4,000-plus yards passing ... 
• Four Super Bowl appearances resulting in two victories (XLI with Colts, 50 with Broncos); Super Bowl XLI MVP … 
• Held numerous NFL and team records at the time of retirement in 2015, including career passing yards (71,940), career passing touchdowns (539), and consecutive seasons with at least 25 passing touchdowns (13) … 
• 201 career wins including playoffs … 
• Set the single-season passing yardage record (5,477) in 2013 … 
• Career stats: 6,125 completions on 9,380 attempts for 71,940 yards and 539 touchdowns … 
• Earned Pro Bowl honors 14 times (2000-01, 2003-2011, 2013-15) … 
• First-Team All-Pro seven times; Second-Team All-Pro three times … 
• Named Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player five times (2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2013) … 
• NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2000s … 
• Born March 24, 1976, in New Orleans, Louisiana.

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ALAN FANECA

Guard … 6-4, 322 … Louisiana State University (LSU)… 1998-2007, Pittsburgh Steelers; 2008-09, New York Jets; 2010 Arizona Cardinals

• 13 seasons, 206 games … 
• A first-round pick of Steelers (26th player overall) in 1998 NFL Draft … 
• Missed just one game in his career … 
• Earned starting role in the sixth game of rookie season … 
• Helped pave way for a 1,000-yard rushing season by Jerome Bettis to earn All-Rookie acclaim … 
• A key leader of Steelers team that captured four division titles, including three in a four-year span … 
• Helped Steelers post-10-plus wins five times, including regular-season records of 13-3 (2001) and 15-1 (2004) … 
• Veteran leadership integral to Jets playoff run to reach AFC championship in 2009 … 
• Named All-Pro (first team) six times (2001-02, 2004-07) and second-team in 2003 and 2008 … 
• All-AFC seven consecutive seasons, 2001-07 … 
• Selected to nine consecutive Pro Bowls … Started 14 career playoff games, including at left guard in four AFC Championship Games and Super Bowl XL … 
• Dominating run blocker, led way for teams that finished among the NFL’s top 10 in rushing 11 times in 13 seasons … 
• Blocked for nine 1,000-yard rushers and five 3,000-yard passers … 
• Named to NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2000s … 
• Born Dec. 7, 1976, in New Orleans, Louisiana.

*Statistics and career information about Peyton Manning, Alan Faneca, and the other 2021 Class courtesy of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Former New Orleans Saints linebacker Sam Mills, of the Dome Patrol, fell short of the vote for another season.