The Peyton Manning Story You Don't Know

Hero. Good guy. Noble. Role model. These are some of many descriptions of quarterback, Peyton Manning. The 38-year-old is most likely entering his last season before retirement, known as, maybe, the most influential quarterback of all time. Everyone will remember Manning for his 2013 season, when he broke almost every quarterback record, or his tremendous attitude towards people and the game. However, what most won’t remember about the noble Manning is his surpassed incident in 1996.

“It was the gluteus maximus, the rectum, the testicles and the area in between the testicles. And all that was on my face when I pushed him up. To get leverage, I took my head out to push him up and off.” –Dr. Jamie Naughright, former University of Tennessee athletic trainer.

That is a quote stated in a court record regarding a sexual assault charge against Peyton Manning in 1997.  During an exam on Manning’s foot, Tennessee trainer Dr. Jamie Naughright, claims that Manning pulled down his pants and “sat” on her face, exposing his genitals and rear to Naughright's face. In 1997, she won a $300,000 settlement with the University for this and other incidents involving sexual harassment, not involving Manning, thanks to another player who witnessed Manning assault the trainer.

Now, this article isn’t to turn you away from Peyton or take credit away from his accomplishments throughout the years. I’m not saying that everyone should hate Manning and no one should look up to him and his achievements. Manning has done a phenomenal job overcoming this obstacle and maintaining his role model image. Over the years, Manning has proven that his second chance was worth it, and he made the most of the opportunity that he had. He’s a prominent member of the sports world and has made an impact on many people’s lives throughout his time in the NFL.

But no one will remember Manning’s sexual assault case. What they will remember is his 55 touchdowns in 2013 or his mounds of hard work that got him to where he is. Everyone continues to argue that Manning’s tremendous accomplishments on and off the field make him the perfect role model for children. Parents never specify, however, that when their kids are looking up to Manning, they should follow his work ethic and his community service acts, NOT, to pull your pants down and moon a track runner during your sophomore year of college or sit on a trainer with your pants off.

For everyone reading this and saying, “why do I care what he did 18 years ago?” In Manning’s book A Father, His Sons, and a Football Legacy, he writes how the trainer was a “vulgar mouth.” Soon after the release of the book, Naughright was demoted from her job at Florida Southern College. Later in 2005, Manning again spoke of Naughrught to ESPN, which forced him to re-settle the case for the second time; the first being after the book was released.

This whole instance was quickly swept under the rug and stayed there thanks to the prodigious effort by the University of Tennessee and Manning himself. The prestigious quarterback will continue to be known for his hero status long after he retires, and no matter what seems to have happened, he has outdone his disheartening past. The Manning family will continue to live on as the gallant football family, despite Peyton’s abysmal actions in college. Peyton Manning will go down as one of the greatest players of all time both on and off the field, regardless of what happened in Tennessee’s locker room in 1997.