Peyton Manning has just announced his return to the University of Tennessee, but not for the reason you probably guessed.
Manning won’t be going back to the Volunteers football team as a coach. Despite leading the Volunteers to an SEC championship back in 1997, Manning has decided to take his talents from the Tennessee athletics department to academia.
According to ESPN, Manning is set to become a professor within Tennessee’s College of Communication and Information. A former student of the communications school, Manning will teach classes surrounding concepts of leadership, sports journalism, and video production. A communications class taught by someone with CTE, that’s gotta be the easiest A across the entire country.
Peyton The Media Mogul
While Manning will undoubtedly always be known for impressive Hall of Fame football career, has begun making a name for himself in the media industry since his retirement in 2015. Back in 2020, Manning started his own production company called Omaha Productions. The company has already produced smash-hits such as ESPN’s MNF Manningcast alternative broadcast, Netflix’s new docuseries Quarterback, and ESPN’s Peyton’s Places.
Clearly, Peyton has used the skills he developed as a student of Tennessee’s communication program. Now, it seems he wants to give those skills back to current students of the school.
“My time as a student in the College of Communication and Information was a foundational experience during which I learned critical skills and messaging techniques that I continue to put to use almost daily,’ Manning said in his announcement. “I look forward to working with the college’s talented faculty, and directly with students in an effort to ensure they are well prepared for their future careers.”
I think it’s safe to say this is one of the coolest college courses to ever be offered. Imagine swapping your boring, elbow-patched professor for someone who won a Super Bowl without being able to throw the ball. Plus, if his class is anything like his MNF broadcast, expect 90 minutes of straight nonsense and jokes about Eli.
Seriously though, I do think Peyton has good advice to offer. In just three years Manning has made himself in the entertainment/broadcast world, so he’s clearly doing something right.
If it turns out that he’s an awful teacher, who cares? It’s the University of Tennessee anyway, what else would you expect?
