His Louisiana accent was heavier, and his face was a little pudgier around the cheeks, yet in 1997, during his first ever appearance on late night television, Peyton Manning showed the first signs of what would become one of the greatest careers in NFL history.
At just 21 years old, Manning appeared on “The Late Show with David Letterman” to talk about the upcoming NFL draft and how he thought that maybe he would be picked by the Indianapolis Colts.
The interview occurred on the eve of the announcement of the 1997 Heisman Trophy contest, which Manning ultimately placed second in.
Letterman seemed impressed by how quick Manning was with a joke, despite his relatively green media persona.
Almost 20 years, two Super Bowl victories and 5 MVP awards later, Manning retired on Monday, ending one of the NFL’s most historic careers.