Peyton Manning: Journey to Greatness
Some people are born with natural god given skills and ability while others who are not that lucky and have to work twice as hard just to get the same result. And then there are those rare individual who even though they are born with the talent, they still work just as hard and sometimes even harder to keep improving. It is called determination and that is a trait that all the great athletes share and it is what separates the great ones from the just good ones. This is perfect way to describe Peyton Williams Manning, who is considered to be one of the most prolific passers in NFL history.
Born in New Orleans, Louisiana on March 24, 1976, Peyton is the son Archie Manning and Olivia Manning. Manning's father, Archie, was a celebrated football star, playing quarterback in college for the University of Mississippi and for various NFL teams during the 1970s and early 1980s, including the New Orleans Saints and the Minnesota Vikings. Peyton was the second of Archie and Olivia Manning's three sons. Cooper, the oldest, arrived in 1974. Eli came into the world five years after Peyton. All three boys looked like athletes from the time they could crawl. They all played the game from a young age, while Peyton and Eli would go on to be quarterback in the NFL, Cooper career was cut short when at 18, after extensive testing, he was diagnosed with spinal stenosis (a narrowing of the spinal canal).
Peyton would go on to say “I feel I’m playing for Cooper. I can’t imagine having football taken away. Now the game seems all the more precious to me.”
Like his dad, Peyton loved football. He seemed destined to be a great quarterback almost from the time he could pick up a football. Manning participated in a variety of sports while attending Isidore Newman high school. He was on the basketball team for two years and played shortstop on the baseball team. But football was his true passion, a passion he credits his father for instilling in him. Manning, however, is quick to note
Born in New Orleans, Louisiana on March 24, 1976, Peyton is the son Archie Manning and Olivia Manning. Manning's father, Archie, was a celebrated football star, playing quarterback in college for the University of Mississippi and for various NFL teams during the 1970s and early 1980s, including the New Orleans Saints and the Minnesota Vikings. Peyton was the second of Archie and Olivia Manning's three sons. Cooper, the oldest, arrived in 1974. Eli came into the world five years after Peyton. All three boys looked like athletes from the time they could crawl. They all played the game from a young age, while Peyton and Eli would go on to be quarterback in the NFL, Cooper career was cut short when at 18, after extensive testing, he was diagnosed with spinal stenosis (a narrowing of the spinal canal).
Peyton would go on to say “I feel I’m playing for Cooper. I can’t imagine having football taken away. Now the game seems all the more precious to me.”
Like his dad, Peyton loved football. He seemed destined to be a great quarterback almost from the time he could pick up a football. Manning participated in a variety of sports while attending Isidore Newman high school. He was on the basketball team for two years and played shortstop on the baseball team. But football was his true passion, a passion he credits his father for instilling in him. Manning, however, is quick to note