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NFL Draft: Greatest pick from each franchise’s history

By Hans Themistode

GLENDALE, ARIZONA - SEPTEMBER 22: Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald #11 of the Arizona Cardinals catches a pass prior to the NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers at State Farm Stadium on September 22, 2019 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Ralph Freso/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - SEPTEMBER 22: Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald #11 of the Arizona Cardinals catches a pass prior to the NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers at State Farm Stadium on September 22, 2019 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Ralph Freso/Getty Images) /
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Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

NFL Draft: Greatest pick from each franchise’s history: Indianapolis Colts, QB Peyton Manning

Pick: 1998 NFL Draft, 1st round number 1 overall

Stats:

  • 71,940 passing yards
  • 539 touchdowns
  • 65.3 completion percentage

Awards:

  • 5 MVP awards
  • 14 time Pro Bowler
  • 2 time Super Bowl champ
  • 7 time First Team All-Pro

The numbers are mind-numbing for Peyton Manning. From the moment he was drafted to the Indianapolis Colts with the number one overall pick in 1998, it seemed almost impossible for anyone to live up to the sort of hype and pressure that was placed on his shoulders. It’s safe to say he shattered them.

For 13 years Manning crushed defenses, set records and made defensive coordinators lose sleep every night. Manning knew what you were doing before you even did it. He carried the Colts to the Playoffs every year outside of his first and fourth seasons. We won’t sit here and act like he didn’t have his issues when he got there though. For whatever reason, Manning struggled to replicate his regular-season success under the bright lights associated with the playoffs but he did breakthrough in 2006 to take home the Lombardi trophy.

Eventually, Manning was shown the door when a neck injury placed his career in Jeopardy and quarterback Andrew Luck became available in the 2012 draft.

Regardless of the unceremonious ending, Manning’s time in Indianapolis won’t be forgotten. His name is littered all over their record book including the most passing yards with 54,828 and passing touchdowns with 399.

The numbers speak for themselves but the most impressive stat for Manning is that he didn’t miss a single game during his first 12 years with the Colts. He was reliable and consistently great. That’s why he goes down as the greatest draft pick in Colts history.

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