Peyton Manning has given a generous gift to his alma mater.
The Broncos quarterback and his wife, Ashley, declared a $3 million leadership commitment to the University of Tennessee, the school announced Friday.
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The commitment will benefit the football program and the Peyton Manning Scholarship Endowment, which since 1998 has annually awarded four-year scholarships to two freshman honors students. In total, the program has distributed $526,000 in scholarship money to 21 students.
"We are grateful for the opportunities we have had to give the gift of an education to deserving UT students every year through the scholarship program," Manning said. "It means a great deal to us to give young people an edge in maximizing their potential.
"This scholarship program and its recipients have developed into a family, and witnessing the growth and successes of these students academically, personally, and ultimately as professionals in the workforce has made this one of our most rewarding endeavors."
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The commitment will also honor longtime Tennessee athletics employees Gus Manning and Carmen Tegano, who share a special relationship with Manning. Gate 16 at Neyland Stadium will be named after Gus Manning, a 64-year veteran of the Vols' athletic department, while a dining facility will be named after Tegano, a current associate athletic director, and his wife, Deborah, a professor.
Manning, 39, will enter his 18th NFL season this year. The former Vols quarterback and All-American led Tennessee to the 1997 SEC Championship and holds the school's career records in yards passing, touchdown passes, completions, completion percentage, and 300-yard games.