That's Professor Peyton Manning to you.
This fall, the five-time NFL MVP is starting the new gig as a professor of practice at his alma mater, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. As part of the school's College of Communication and Information, the role will place him as a featured expert in select classes during the school year, where he'll bring his industry experience "to provide transformative learning experiences for CCI students," the school said in a statement.
Manning graduated from Tennessee in 1997 with a degree in speech communication and after a successful SEC football career. He then went on to be selected as the No. 1 overall draft pick by the Indianapolis Colts the next year.
The Pro Football Hall of Famer considers his time at Tennessee a "foundational experience" that taught him critical skills he continues to use daily.
"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," he said in a statement.
Big Names From The NFL Are Backing A New Pro Football League
The XFL is getting another competitor: the Alliance of Amiercan Football.
As for subjects, Manning will partner with faculty in sports reporting, video production and performance, leadership and communication and public speaking — a mix of skills the former quarterback's acquired through his NFL career and with his entertainment company, Omaha Productions.
Since his time at the school, Manning has become a notable media personality beyond his prolific career playing football, which he retired from in 2016. This media career includes being the host of multiple shows for networks like ESPN and NBC, including his own football documentary series on ESPN+ called "Peyton's Places."
But he's also continued to give back to the college where he'll soon be teaching, according to the statement from UT, including a $1 million donation to establish the John Haas Student Experiential Learning Endowment.
