Who would’ve thought that Tennessee Football’s quarterback room in 1994 would end up having two Hall of Fame players?
One is in Canton with the other officially heading to Cooperstown after the announcement was made on Tuesday evening.
Knoxville native, former Tennessee baseball player, former Tennessee football player, and Colorado Rockies legend Todd Helton is officially heading into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Two hall of famers in one QB room!
One in Canton and now the other in Cooperstown 🏆
Congratulations to #VFL Todd Helton! pic.twitter.com/BwoR2lpFar
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) January 23, 2024
More from RTI: Todd Helton Becomes First Tennessee Player To Reach National Baseball Hall Of Fame
Manning, the other Hall of Famer in Tennessee’s 1994 quarterback room, was also recently inducted into the National Football Hall of Fame. While Manning did spend the majority of his career in Indianapolis, the long-time college friends did spend a few years playing at the same time in Denver.
Manning’s first two years with the Denver Broncos, 2012 and 2013, were the final two of Helton’s career in Colorado with Major League Baseball. The former Knoxville Central High School Bobcat played 17 years with the Rockies, starting and ending his career in the same place.
Helton brought a World Series appearance to Colorado but the Rockies fell to Boston in the 2007 championship series. Still, though, Helton also brought Tennessee to the College World Series during the 1995 season for just the second time in program history.
In the academic-sports calendar in 1994-1995, future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning was just beginning his career as a Volunteer while future Hall of Fame baseball player Todd Helton was leading Tennessee to the College World Series. That’s why Manning was one of the perfect people to narrate Helton’s Hall of Fame video announcement from the Rockies.
There are several great options for the narration such as former teammates and coaches of Helton’s. But, in an odd way, Manning may very well be the best candidate. The two became friends in college, watched as each other’s sports careers turned from promising to legendary, and even wound back up in the same city to finish their careers. Manning and Helton have both brought extreme joy to the people of Knoxville, TN, and Denver, CO, during their illustrious careers.
Manning might even be brought along to Cooperstown for the induction, according to Helton.
“Absolutely!” Helton replied when Bob Costas asked if he would bring Manning to his ceremony on MLB Network. “Just talked to him. If he wants to come, he can bring his son, more than welcome to come. Everybody is welcome to come!”
So, again, perhaps there was no one better to narrate than Peyton Manning.
Check out the video below:
Rocky Top ➡️ Rocky Mountains ➡️ Cooperstown pic.twitter.com/mqzBLmM8dJ
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) January 23, 2024
