Peyton Manning was one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, but unfortunately he has a dark cloud above his head from when Tennessee had to pay $300,000 for him.
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The legendary quarterback enjoyed a career people dream of having. He retired atop the passing game, finishing his career ranked first in passing yards in NFL history. Brady and Brees overtook several of his records, but they definitely can’t compete with Manning’s 2013 season.
That season is the best season by any quarterback ever. In 2013, he threw for an NFL record 5,477 yards and 55 touchdowns, leading the greatest offense in history.
All in all, Manning threw for 71,940 yards, third all time, and 539 touchdowns, third all time. To add on, Manning retired with two Super Bowl victories under his belt.
Before the NFL, Manning played college ball at Tennessee, and unfortunately, he was involved in a controversial incident.
Tennessee had to pay $300,000 because Peyton Manning allegedly sexually harassed his trainer
Back in 1996, Manning got into trouble with his trainer. According to the trainer, Manning thrust his private area into her face while she was examining his feet.
Jamie Naughright, the trainer, claimed she was harassed at the school, and she left in 1997. The school had to cover up for Manning’s actions even though the star quarterback denied all rumors.
Naughright claimed, “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 and off. And it was like this and I pushed him up to get leverage, I took my head out to push him up and off.”
However, Manning said, “One day I was in the training room and a track athlete I know made some off-color remark that I felt deserved a colorful … response. I turned my back in the athlete’s direction and dropped the seat of my pants … But I did it thinking the trainer wasn’t where she would see … Even when she did, it seemed like something she’d have laughed at, considering the environment, or shrugged off as harmless. Crude, maybe, but harmless.”
Manning tried to say that he was ‘mooning’ a teammate although the trainer said that wasn’t the case at all. Naughright left Tennesse in 1997 after the school paid her $300,000 related to the incident. Manning apologized for his ‘prank’ too.
Manning said he was mooning teammate Malcolm Saxon, but Saxon denied these claims. Peyton released a book with his father Archie Manning and a ghostwriter called Manning: A Father, His Sons, and a Football Legacy where he explained his side of the story. Saxon wasn’t buying it, however.
“She was minding her own business when your book came out. Peyton, the way I see it, at this point, you are going to take a hit either way, if you settle out of court or if it goes to court. You might as well maintain some dignity and admit to what happened. … Your celebrity doesn’t mean you can treat folks that way. … Do the right thing here.”
Naughright did sue Manning for the incident, and in 2002, the two reached a confidential settlement.
