Peyton Manning Out-Earns All Current and Former NFL Players in Royalties and Marketing

Former University of Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning hasn’t gotten behind a center or heaved a pass in over 4 years, but that hasn’t stopped him from making the big bucks in the NFL. Manning, who retired from the league after his victory over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50, reportedly earned more than any other former or current player from marketing and royalties, a report from The Athletic found.

The report revealed that Manning earned roughly $3.4 million this year, which topped both of his nearest competitors: Tampa Bay’s Tom Brady ($3 million) and Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes (2.8 million). Dallas’ Dak Prescott came in 4th behind Manning, Brady, and Mahomes with roughly $2.6 million, followed by the Giants’ Saquon Barkley who hauled in about $2.3 million.

It’s also worth noting that Manning made about the same amount of income from marketing and royalties that he did during his final season with the Denver Broncos, meaning — while the former Vols quarterback has been out of the league for a while — he is still one of the most recognizable faces for football fans in North America.

Having such a recognizable person representing the University of Tennessee’s program could pay off dividends for the Volunteers. It’s by no means a secret that recruits want to go to a university that can help them get to the NFL and make millions; having Manning on television commercials every day could help the Vols’ current coaching staff make that pitch.

Manning attended the University of Tennessee from 1994 to 1997: throwing for 1,141 yards as a freshman, 2,954 as a sophomore, 3,287 as a junior, 3,819 as a senior, and racking up 89 touchdowns during his entire collegiate career. The Tennessee gunslinger then became one of the nation's top NFL prospects, eventually being selected by the Indianapolis Colts as the No. 1 overall draft pick over Washington State’s Ryan Leaf.

During his NFL career, he is remembered for winning 2 Super Bowls: one with the Colts in Super Bowl XLI and another with Denver in Super Bowl 50. The former Vol threw for 71,940 yards and 539 touchdowns during his entire career in the NFL — in addition to completing 65.3% of his passes.