Buick ( /ˈbjuːɨk/) is a premium brand of General Motors (GM).^[1] Buick models are sold in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Taiwan, and Israel, with China being its largest market. Buick holds the distinction as the oldest active American make. Many current Buick models are shared with other GM global subsidiaries.

History[link]

Louis Chevrolet driving a Buick Bug in the 1910 Vanderbilt Cup

1910 Buick Bug Race Car and 1944 M18 Buick Hellcat Tank Destroyer

1910 Buick Model 17, at Randall-Dodd Auto Company, Salt Lake City

1914 Buick 5-Passenger Touring

Early years[link]

Buick is currently the oldest still-active American automotive make, and among the oldest automobile brands in the world. It originated as the Buick Auto-Vim and Power Company in 1899, an independent internal combustion engine and motor-car manufacturer, and was later incorporated as the Buick Motor Company on May 19, 1903, by Scottish born David Dunbar Buick in Detroit, Michigan. Later that year, the struggling company was taken over by James H. Whiting (1842–1919),^[2] who moved it to his hometown of Flint, Michigan, and brought in William C. Durant in 1904 to manage his new acquisition. Buick sold his stock for a small sum upon departure, and died in modest circumstances 25 years later.

1912 Buick logo

A 1911 Buick Advertisement - Syracuse Post-Standard, January 21, 1911

Cover of 1925 promotional folder from Swedish reseller

1932 Buick

Between 1899 and 1902, two prototype vehicles were built^[3] in Detroit, Michigan by Walter Lorenzo Marr. Some documentation exists of the 1901 or 1902 prototype with tiller steering^[4] similar to the Oldsmobile Curved Dash.

1937 Buick 4-Door Convertible. Captured at Utstein, Norway, August 1, 2009

In mid-1904, another prototype was constructed for an endurance run, which convinced James H. Whiting to authorize production of the first models offered to the public.^[5] The architecture of this prototype was the basis for the Model B.

The first Buick made for sale, the 1904 Model B, was built in Flint, Michigan.^[6] There were 37 Buicks made that year, none of which survived. There are, however, two replicas in existence: the 1904 endurance car, at the Buick Gallery & Research Center in Flint, and a Model B assembled by an enthusiast in California for the division's 100th anniversary.^[7][8] Both of these vehicles use various parts from Buicks of that early era, as well as fabricated parts. These vehicles were each constructed with the two known surviving 1904 engines. Buicks were first built to replicate the living room in a moving automobile, and were nicknamed the "moving couch of America".

The power train and chassis architecture introduced on the Model B was continued through the 1909 Model F.^[9] The early success of Buick is attributed in part to the valve-in-head engine^[10] patented by Eugene Richard. The Model F had a two-cylinder engine, an 87 inch wheelbase and weighed 1,800 lbs.^[11] The creation of General Motors is attributed in part to the success of Buick,^[12] so it can be said Marr and Richard's designs directly led to GM.^[13]

The basic design of the 1904 Buick was optimally engineered even by today's standards. The flat-twin engine is inherently balanced, with torque presented to the chassis in a longitudinal manner, actually cancelling front end lift, rather than producing undesirable lateral motion. The engine was mounted amidships, now considered the optimal location.^[14]

Durant was a natural promoter, and Buick soon became the largest car maker in America. Using the profits from this, Durant embarked on a series of corporate acquisitions, calling the new megacorporation General Motors. At first, the manufacturers comprising General Motors competed against each other, but Durant ended that. He wanted each General Motors division to target one class of buyer, and in his new scheme, Buick was near the top — only the Cadillac brand had more prestige. Buick occupies this position to this day in the General Motors lineup. The ideal Buick customer is comfortably well off, possibly not quite rich enough to afford a Cadillac, nor desiring the ostentation of one, but definitely in the market for a car above the norm.

At first, Buick followed the likes of Napier in automobile racing, winning the first-ever race held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.^[15]

In 1911, Buick introduced its first closed-body car,^[16] four years ahead of Ford.^[17] In 1929, as part of General Motors' companion make program, Buick Motor Division launched the Marquette sister brand, designed to bridge the price gap between Buick and Oldsmobile; however, Marquette was discontinued in 1930. Buick scored another first in 1939, when it became the first^{[citation needed]} company to introduce turn signals.^[18]

Post-war years[link]

1966 Buick Riviera

1949 - Portholes Debut

1953 - Buick's 50th Anniversary and introduction of Roadmaster Skylark

1959 - Electra and LeSabre introduced

1961 - Skylark nameplate returns as a compact car

1963 - Riviera introduced as its own model

1970 - GSX high performance option package first offered on Gran Sport (GS) 455

1971 - "Boat-tail" Riviera introduced

1973 - Regal introduced as upper trim level on Century

1975 - Park Avenue introduced as trim level/option package on Electra 225 Limited

1978 - Buick's 75th Anniversary and Turbocharged V6 introduced in the Regal Sport Coupe^[19]

Recent years[link]

1987 Buick Regal Grand National

1995–1996 Buick Roadmaster

1998–2002 Buick Park Avenue

The Buick Rendezvous, Buick's first crossover SUV

The 2010 Buick LaCrosse

2012 Buick Regal GS

Overall domestic sales of the Buick brand peaked in 1984^{[citation needed]}, with a broad model line ranging from compacts to large cars, including performance-oriented turbocharged models. Buick's hero car of the 1980s was the Regal Grand National, a midsize coupe with a turbocharged 3.8 V6, and one of the fastest production cars of the decade.

The number of Buick models in the lineup fell over time, with the compact and performance segments being abandoned altogether. However, Buick maintained their traditional Century, Regal, LeSabre, and Park Avenue sedan lines. By the 2000s, Buick had a staid image, while not directly competing with import luxury makes. In 2001, Buick introduced its first SUV, the Rendezvous crossover, while golf star Tiger Woods became its spokesperson.

The Buick Centieme crossover concept car commemorated Buick Motor Division's 100th anniversary.

Buick began consolidating its lineup in 2005, eventually reducing its line to just three models with new nameplates: the 2005 LaCrosse/Allure, the 2006 Lucerne, and the successful 2008 Enclave. While total sales slipped,^[20] the profitability of this model line ensured Buick's future within General Motors.^[21]

Since 2005, GM had gradually consolidated Buick with GMC and former Pontiac dealerships to create the current Buick-GMC network. During General Motors Chapter 11 reorganization and emergence in 2009, the company designated Buick as a "core brand", citing the division's success in China.^[22] Behind the scenes, GM began to move products originally planned for other brands to Buick. The Opel Insignia was originally intended to become the second-generation Saturn Aura, but instead became the new Buick Regal.^[23][24]

In January 2009, Buick unveiled the new 2010 LaCrosse sedan, an all new styling direction which included traditional Buick cues. The market responded to the LaCrosse, with reviews favorably comparing it to the Lexus ES.^[25] For 2011, Buick followed up by re-introducing the Regal sedan, a smaller model based on the European Opel Insignia. The Regal will offer a GS sport package and is the first Buick in almost 20 years to be offered with a manual transmission and a turbocharger.

In June 2011, the Lucerne full-size luxury sedan was discontinued after six years in production. Several months later, the all-new 2012 Verano compact sedan was added and the performance-oriented Regal GS officially joined the lineup as well. Meanwhile, sales of the Enclave crossover remained strong.

A GM company spokesman said that Buick is positioned as a "premium" marque (entry-level luxury) to compete with Acura, Lexus, and Volvo, while Cadillac is supposed to be aimed at the "luxury" performance segment which includes BMW and Mercedes-Benz.^[1] While both the LaCrosse and Regal share the Epsilon II platform, the larger LaCrosse is more luxury oriented and will face off against the Lexus ES350 and Acura TL, while the Regal's rivals will include the Acura TSX and Volkswagen CC.^[26]

In the 2009 J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability Study, Buick tied with Jaguar as the most dependable brand in the United States.^[27] Buick became the fastest growing automotive brand in 2010, attracting a younger customer demographic.^[28]

Current and upcoming[link]

As of 2012^[update], Buick's North American lineup consists of the newly introduced Verano entry-level compact sedan, the Regal mid-size luxury/sports sedan, the LaCrosse mid-size luxury sedan, and the Enclave full-size luxury crossover. Buick plans to launch the Encore, a new mini crossover vehicle, later in the year as a 2013 model.

Distinguishing features[link]

Trishield[link]

Trishield, Buick´s emblem

The Buick Trishield is rooted in the ancestral coat of arms of the automaker’s founder, David Dunbar Buick. That crest was a red shield with a checkered silver and azure diagonal line from the upper left to lower right, a stag above and a punctured cross below. The division adopted this on its radiator grilles in 1937. In 1960, the logo underwent a major overhaul. Its single shield was replaced by a trio in red, white and blue—denoting the LeSabre, Invicta, and Electra then in the Buick lineup. Usurped by the Buick Hawk in the 1970s, the trishield reemerged in the 1980s, simplified, but with its same patriotic colors. Today, again representing the trio of vehicles in the Buick marque, the trishield enjoys its even more distilled—and emboldened—monochrome form.

VentiPorts[link]

Buick Special or Super Sedan, 1951.

A traditional Buick styling cue dating to 1949 is a series of three or four vents on the front fender behind the front wheels. The source of this design feature was a custom car of Buick stylist Ned Nickles, which in addition had a flashing light within each hole each synchronized with a specific spark plug simulating the flames from the exhaust stack of a fighter airplane. Combined with the bombsight mascot (introduced in 1946), VentiPorts put the driver at the controls of an imaginary fighter airplane. The flashing light feature was not used by Buick in production, but VentiPorts remained as nonfunctional ornamentation.

They were called VentiPorts because the 1949 sales brochure noted that VentiPorts helped ventilate the engine compartment. The suggestion was made that they allowed air flow out of the engine bay. Air entered from the grill into the engine bay and was pressurized by the radiator fan, and exited through the VentiPorts. And possibly that was true in early 1949, but sometime during the model year they became plugged. VentiPorts have appeared sporadically on several models since and are currently featured on three of the four current Buick models.

When introduced, the number of VentiPorts (three or four) denoted the size of straight-eight engine installed. Since displacement differences in straight-eight engines resulted in more dramatic differences in engine length than on V8s, the Buick Roadmaster (which was the only model at this time with the larger engine) needed a longer chassis in front of the cowl to accommodate the larger engine. Thus an extra VentiPort also corresponded directly to the necessary extra length in front. After the more compact V8 replaced the straight-eight engine in 1953 this difference in chassis length was no longer needed. Nevertheless, the convention remained. Consequently, when the Buick Century, which shared the Buick Special's smaller body, was reintroduced in 1954, it also received four VentiPorts to denote its engine's greater displacement. However, in 1955, the Buick Super, which shared Roadmaster's larger body, was promoted from three to four VentiPorts despite having the smaller displacement engine. In turn, the Buick Invicta which took the place of the Buick Century in 1959, and consequently had the smaller body with the larger displacement engine, was demoted from four to three VentiPorts on introduction. Thus the number of VentiPorts came to denote body size rather than engine size. VentiPorts appeared on all Buicks from 1949 through 1957, and on most Buicks (notable exceptions include the Buick Wildcat, the Buick Riviera and the Buick Centurion) from 1960 through 1981.

In 2003 VentiPorts were re-introduced on the Buick Park Avenue. After the Park Avenue was discontinued, Buick salvaged the VentiPorts to appear on the new-for-2006 Lucerne. Consistent with the tradition that held from 1949 through 1954, the Lucerne's VentiPorts refer directly to engine size: V6 models have three on each side, while V8s have four on each side.

Modern and edgy compared to the oval ones that adorned Buicks for years, the new VentiPorts have become a Buick-wide talisman again and are currently featured in one form or another on the Lucerne, the popular Enclave and, for 2010, along the inner hood ridges of the redesigned LaCrosse.

Sweepspear[link]

Sweepspear on a Buick Skylark

Another styling cue from 1940s through the 1970s was the Sweepspear, a curved line running the length of the car. Introduced on the 1949 Buick Roadmaster Riviera hardtop coupe as an optional feature, the Sweepspear was a chrome-plated or stainless steel rub strip which, after it passed the front wheel, gently curved down nearly to the rocker panel just before the rear wheel, and then curved around the rear wheel in a quarter of a circle to go straight back to the tail-light. The "Riviera trim", as it was initially called, was also made available on the Roadmaster convertible very late in the model year. It proved so popular that by the 1951 model year it was made a standard feature on all Buicks. During the two-tone color craze of the 1950s, the sweepspear separated two different color areas. After that, the curved line was usually indicated either by a vinyl rub strip or simply a character line molded into the sheetmetal as hinted in the 2008 Invicta concept car and 2010 LaCrosse/Allure production car.

Delta Fin[link]

Delta Fins on a 1959 Buick Electra 225 Riviera

The 1958 Buick was marketed beginning in September 1957, just as the space age began with the launching of Sputnik I on October 4 of that year. This Buick was nicknamed "the king of chrome" and had rear tailfins reminiscent of a rocket ship.^[29][30] In 1959, Buick had the aerodynamic Delta Fin. The fin made parking difficult and blocked the driver's line of vision.^[31][32] In 1960, the fin was snubbed down and disappeared in 1961, although vestiges of it reappeared in the 2000-2005 LeSabre line with its upswept sides.

Taillight shapes[link]

During the 1950s, the characteristic form of the Buick taillamps was a tier of small, circular bullet-shapes. In the early 1960s, most models began to evolve a wide, rectangular pattern, until the 1965 Skylark and Electra models appeared with full-width rear lamps. Since then, wide taillamps have been a Buick hallmark.

Buick "dollar grin" and "Trishield" in a Buick LeSabre

Classic Grille Styling[link]

The Buick styling cue (dating from the 1940s) that has most often reappeared, though, is for the grille to be a horizontal oval with many thin vertical chromed ribs bulging forward. This has sometimes been called the Buick "dollar grin" particularly on the early 1950s models, which had thick, highly-polished ribs that somewhat resembled teeth. The 1950 model took this tooth theme to its extreme as the teeth crossed over the bumper exposing the 1950 "grin". The 1951 model reined in the theme, bringing the teeth back behind the bumper. Current Buick Models have a new take on the classic styling with their Chromed "Waterfall Grilles".

Waterfall Grille[link]

In recent years, Buick has adopted a Waterfall Grille, as seen on the Buick Velite concept car from 2004 and first used in production with the Buick Lucerne introduced for the 2006 model year. This waterfall grille bears some resemblance to grilles of Buicks from the 1980s, such as the Grand National.

Nailhead[link]

The Buick V8 engine, nicknamed the Nailhead because of its relatively small intake and exhaust valves which resembled nails, became popular with hot-rodders in the 1950s and 1960s, because the vertical attachment of the valve covers, in contrast to the angled attachment of other V8 engines, enabled the engine to fit into smaller spaces while maintaining easy access for maintenance.

Buick Gran Sport, 1970 455 Stage 1

By 1967, Buick was making quiet history with more conventional V8s that had abandoned the "nailhead" design but made much greater power. For the 1967 model year, Buick renamed its "Gran Sport" performance models (not to be confused with the Chevrolet "Super Sport" cars) as "GS" models. In 1970 this was headed up by the powerful GS455 Stage 1, so named for its 455 cu in (7.5 L) engine, with its high performance "Stage 1" package. Built on the same "A-body" platform as the Chevelle, Cutlass/442, and LeMans/GTO, the GS cars were performance based vehicles spawned from Buick's Skylark line, and shared all of the A-Body GM offering's tendency for good looks. Both hardtop and convertible "GS" models were offered.

GSX[link]

Midway through that year, Buick debuted its GSX model, which was an appearance package rivaling that of the GTO "Judge". GSX colors ran the spectrum that year, if that range included just yellow and white. Subsequent GSX models offered a variety of colors to go with the GSX signature hood blackout treatment and the swept wide pin striping vaguely reminiscent of the famous Buick "sweepspear". GSX models could be ordered with 350, 455, or 455 Stage 1 engines, and were outfitted with the usual GS options such as dual hood scoop hood with functioning "ram-air" intake, and dual exhaust. Horsepower ratings for the Stage 1 455s were a relatively mild 360 hp (or 370 depending on sources), but featured 510 lb·ft (690 N·m) of torque at 2200 rpm, good to propel the relatively weighty GS455 Stage 1 equipped cars to quarter-mile times of under 13.4 seconds. Buick halted GSX production after the 1972 model year.

The prototype GSX survived the show circuit, and was a fully functioning car that beat the odds to survive not only the usual showcar life of "construction-display-destruction", but also the life of an ordinary car, as it was sold from a dealership after being on display for some time. The car survives to this day, is restored to its original condition, licensed and ready to hit the road.

1965 Buick Special convertible.

2007 Buick Riviera concept.

Geographical distribution[link]

Unlike some of GM's other brands, Buicks are currently not marketed globally, although the marque had a substantial export presence until a few years ago^{[citation needed]}. Some Buicks were also built in Europe or were available with specific trim for European market until 1996.

In pre-World War II China, one in five cars was a Buick^{[citation needed][33][dead link]} The brand is popular in China today.^[34]

Buick in Mexico[link]

Buicks were sold in Mexico from 1921 to 1962 when a protectionist policy on behalf of the government restricted the percentage of imported parts that could be used in the manufacture of vehicles and the sale of imported cars. From then onwards, all GM products were sold by Chevrolet dealerships. In 1990, after a heavy modification to the protectionist policy of the sixties, GM started assembling the Buick Century in Mexico, at the plant in Ramos Arizpe, in the state of Coahuila, just south of Texas, and selling it through Mexican Chevrolet dealerships, so it was not uncommon for many people to call it "Chevrolet Century". In 1997, GM stopped production of Buicks in Mexico and the brand was not sold there until 2009.

With the announcement in 2009 of the elimination of the Pontiac brand, it was speculated that Buicks would be sold once again in Mexico, since there was a large network of Pontiac-GMC dealerships already in place. On July 24, 2009, Grace Lieblein, the new president of GM in Mexico, revealed that the Buick brand would be available in Mexico in late September of that year, after an absence of a dozen years, with the LaCrosse and the Enclave models. Buick shares the dealership floor with Pontiac and GMC until the Pontiac brand fades away during the summer of 2010.

Buick in New Zealand[link]

Buicks were once sold in New Zealand. They were also built at the GMNZ plant in Petone, outside Wellington.^[35] At the end of World War II, the Buick name was not revived for the New Zealand market.

Buick in Israel[link]

In Israel, Buicks are imported by Universal Motors, Ltd. (UMI), which also imports other GM vehicles. For model years 2004 and 2005, the Buick LeSabre and Buick Rendezvous were sold. For model years 2006 and 2007, the Buick LaCrosse and Buick Lucerne were sold alongside the Rendezvous. For model year 2008, the Buick LaCrosse and Buick Lucerne were available.

Buick in the Middle East[link]

Buicks were sold throughout the Middle East until the second-generation Buick Roadmaster was discontinued.

Buick in Mainland China[link]

Chinese version of Buick car

Buick G2.5 v6 made by Shanghai GM, China in 2002

Making up nearly 35% of those sales, China is Buick's largest market, selling more there than even the United States.^[36] In 2007, General Motors sold over 330,000 Buicks in China, more than twice what they sold in the United States.^[37]

V6 engine of Buick 2.5G of Shanghai GM, China in 2002

Since 1999, a Chinese version of the Buick Century/Regal has been produced and sold in mainland China by Shanghai GM and has proven to be popular among upscale, professional families, establishing Buick as one of the most popular vehicle brands in China. In addition, Buick of China also sells the compact Excelle (based on the Daewoo Lacetti/Nubira), a five-door hatchback version called the HRV, and a modified version of the first generation Pontiac Montana minivan named the GL8. Many Buicks for the local market are equipped with smaller more fuel efficient engines with double overhead camshafts, than those with overhead valves in the same nameplate for the American market. The engines of 2005-09 Chevrolet Equinox and Pontiac Torrent, originally intended for Buick in China, were made in China and imported by General Motors.^[38]

In June 2005, Buick announced that it would market the Australian RWD Holden Caprice in China as the Buick Royaum (2005–06). Buick previously marketed the subcompact Sail, sourced from GM's Asian operations and based on the Opel Corsa B, until 2005. Since then, Shanghai GM has replaced it with the Chevrolet Sail (a rebadged Opel Corsa). Buick has stated that it expects China to become its second largest market.

In 2006, Buick debuted the Chinese version of the LaCrosse sedan. The only differences are exterior design, different engine choices, and a facelifted interior. It is positioned above the Regal but below the Royaum.

In April 2007, Shanghai GM announced the Buick Park Avenue, for the Chinese market only. The vehicle is based on the Holden Caprice, with engines manufactured in Australia.

In 2009, Buick sold 447,011 vehicles, an increase of 59.6 percent compared with the previous year.^[39]

Buick has sold over two million vehicles in China. The first million took eight years, the second came in at only three years.^[40]

Buick in Taiwan[link]

GM Taiwan was founded in August 1989. In the early 1990s, Buick, along with other GM brands, was very popular and frequently seen on Taiwanese streets. Park Avenue, 3rd and 4th generation Regal, and 6th generation Skylark used to be sold in Taiwan.

In December 2004, General Motors signed a memorandum of understanding with Yulon, a firm based in Taiwan, for the licensed manufacture of Buick vehicles there. In July 2005, Yulon GM Motor Co. Ltd. (Yulon GM), a joint venture with 51 percent equity stake held by Yulon Motor and 49 percent by GM, was founded.

On April 17, 2006, Yulon GM debuted the first Buick vehicle ever built in Taiwan, the LaCrosse sedan. It is very similar to the Chinese version of the LaCrosse.

In Motorsport[link]

For many years, Buick was a substitute for Chevrolet in automobile racing. No earlier than the 1960s, Buick was a competitor in the Indianapolis 500, and (like almost every other American manufacturer) also participated in the Grand National stock car racing series using its Regal and later the Grand Sport.

The golden age of Buick in motorsport, however, was the late eighties. General Motors entered the Regal, particularly the Grand National, in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series alongside the Oldsmobile Cutlass. Buick was also a major powerplant in the CART IndyCar Series and IMSA GT Series (particularly in the IMSA GTP class) for several years. The 1990s, however, proved to be the end of Buick's reign in motorsports, as GM replaced it for many years with Oldsmobile before phasing out that marque in 2004. Oldsmobile would be replaced by Pontiac until its demise in 2009, being replaced by Chevrolet.

Buicks were also entered in the Trans Am Series in the eighties and nineties using aftermarket V8 engines.

Enthusiast organizations[link]

The Buick Club of America, founded in 1966, is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and restoration of automobiles built by the Buick Motor Division of General Motors Corporation.

See also[link]

• Harley Earl
• Opel

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Buick vehicles

• Buick Homepage
• Buick at the Open Directory Project

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Peyton Manning

Manning during his tenure with the Colts
No. 18     Denver Broncos
Quarterback
Personal information
Date of birth: (1976-03-24) March 24, 1976 (age 36)
Place of birth: New Orleans, Louisiana
Height: 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) Weight: 230 lb (104 kg)
Career information
College: Tennessee
NFL Draft: 1998 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1
Debuted in 1998 for the Indianapolis Colts
Career history
Indianapolis Colts (1998−2011) Denver Broncos (2012–present)
Roster status: Active
Career highlights and awards
11× Pro Bowl (1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010) 5× First-team All-Pro (2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009) 3× Second-team All-Pro (1999, 2000, 2006) 4× AP NFL MVP (2003, 2004, 2008, 2009) 6× AFC Player of the Year (1999, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009) Indianapolis Colts All-time leader (Career Wins, Passing Touchdowns , Pass Attempts, Pass Completions and Passing Yards) Pro Bowl MVP (2005) Super Bowl champion (XLI) Super Bowl MVP (XLI) 2× AFC champion (2006, 2009) Fastest ever to reach 50,000 yards passing Fastest to 4,000 completions NFL 2000s All-Decade Team Other awards and honors
Career NFL statistics as of Week 17, 2011
Pass attempts 7,210 Pass completions 4,682 Percentage 64.9 TD–INT 399–198 Passing yards 54,828 Passer rating 94.9 Stats at NFL.com

Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Indianapolis Colts for 14 seasons from 1998–2011. He is the son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning and an elder brother of New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning.

Manning played college football at the University of Tennessee, leading the Volunteers to the 1997 SEC Championship in his senior season. He was chosen by the Indianapolis Colts with the first overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft. From 1998 to 2010, he led the Colts to seven AFC South division championships, two AFC championships, and to a Super Bowl championship (Super Bowl XLI). He has won a record four league most valuable player awards,^[1] was the most valuable player of Super Bowl XLI, has been named to eleven Pro Bowls, has eleven 4,000-yard passing seasons (including a record six straight),^[2][3] and is the Indianapolis Colts' all-time leader in passing yards (54,828) and touchdown passes (399). In 2009, he was named the best player in the NFL^[2][3] and Fox Sports along with Sports Illustrated named him the NFL player of the decade of the 2000s.

In May 2011, he underwent neck surgery to alleviate neck pain and arm weakness he dealt with during the previous few seasons before signing a five-year, $90 million contract extension with the Colts in July 2011. Manning had hoped to play in the 2011 season, but in September 2011, he underwent a much more serious second surgery: a level one cervical fusion procedure. Manning had never missed an NFL game in his career, but was forced to miss the entire 2011 season. He was released by the Colts on March 7, 2012, and after an almost two-week period where he visited with and worked out for several NFL teams, he signed with the Denver Broncos on March 20, 2012.

Manning's pre-snap routine is one of the most recognizable and parodied in sports.^[4] The Indianapolis Colts' almost exclusive use of the hurry-up offense led to Manning using an array of gestures and verbal commands to call the play at the line of scrimmage rather than in the huddle.

High school career[link]

Manning attended Isidore Newman School in New Orleans, Louisiana. He led his team to a 34–5 record during three seasons as starter. He was named Gatorade Circle of Champions National Player-of-the-Year and Columbus (Ohio) Touchdown Club National Offensive Player-of-the-Year in 1993.

College career[link]

Manning stunned many when he chose to attend the University of Tennessee instead of Ole Miss, his father's alma mater.^[5] He became Tennessee's all-time leading passer with 11,201 yards and 89 touchdowns and won 39 of 45 games as a starter, breaking the Southeastern Conference (SEC) record for career wins.^[6][7]

Manning's number was retired by the University of Tennessee in 2005

As a freshman, Manning was the third-string quarterback, but injuries to Todd Helton and Jerry Colquitt forced him to take over the Mississippi State game, a 24–21 loss. In his first start, the following week against Washington State, the Vols won, 10–9, and the Vols won all but one of their remaining games, finishing the season 8–4 with a 45–23 victory over Virginia Tech in the Gator Bowl.^[8][9][10]

Manning and the Vols started off the 1995 season with victories over East Carolina and Georgia, before heading off to Gainesville to play the Gators.^[11] Against Florida, he threw for 326 yards and 2 touchdowns, leading the Vols to a 30–21 halftime lead. However, the Gators outscored the Vols 41–7 in the second half, winning 62–37.^[12] This was the Vols' only loss of the season, as they won their remaining 8 regular season games, including a 41–14 win over Alabama and then defeated Ohio State in the Citrus Bowl.^[13][14] The Vols ended the season ranked third and Manning came in sixth in Heisman Trophy voting.^[15]

The Vols opened the 1996 season ranked second behind Nebraska and one of the favorites to win the national championship.^[16] However, after winning their first 2 games against UNLV and UCLA, the Vols again lost to Florida 35–29, with Manning throwing 4 interceptions.^[17] After winning their next four games, the Vols were upset by Memphis, despite Manning passing for 296 yards.^[18] The Vols won the remainder of their games, including a 48–28 win in the Citrus Bowl over Northwestern, a game in which Manning passed for 408 yards and 4 touchdowns; he was named the game's MVP.^[19][20]

Manning completed his degree in three years, and was projected to be the top overall pick in the NFL Draft, but returned to Tennessee for his senior year.^[21] In his senior season, the Vols opened the season with victories against Texas Tech and UCLA, but for the third time in his career, Manning fell to Florida 33–20.^[22][23][24] The Vols won the rest of their regular season games, finishing 10–1, and advanced to the SEC Championship game against Auburn. Down 20–7, Manning led the Vols to a 30–29 victory. Throwing for 4 touchdowns, he was named the game's MVP, but injured himself in the process.^[25][26] The 3rd-ranked Vols were matched-up with 2nd-ranked Nebraska in the Orange Bowl; if Tennessee won and top-ranked Michigan lost to Washington State in the Rose Bowl, the Vols would win the national championship.^[27] However, the Vols' defense could not stop Nebraska's rushing attack, giving up over 400 rushing yards in a 42–17 loss.^[28] As a senior, Manning won numerous awards; he was a consensus first-team All-American, the Maxwell Award winner, the Davey O'Brien Award winner, the Johnny Unitas Award winner, and the Best College Player ESPY award winner, among others; however, he did not win the Heisman, finishing runner-up to Charles Woodson.^[29][30][31] In 2005, Tennessee retired Manning's number (#16).^[32] One of the streets leading to Neyland Stadium has been renamed Peyton Manning Pass. Manning was elected to Phi Beta Kappa Society in 1997.

Professional career[link]

Indianapolis Colts[link]

1998 season: Rookie season[link]

Manning was selected first overall in the 1998 draft by the Indianapolis Colts.^[34] In his rookie season, he passed for 3,739 yards with 26 touchdowns, set five different NFL rookie records, including most touchdown passes in a season, and was named to the NFL All-Rookie First Team.^[35][36][37] Manning's first win came against fellow rookie quarterback Ryan Leaf, 17–12 over the Chargers.^[38] Weeks later, Manning faced off against Steve Young; he threw three touchdowns, tying a Colts rookie record, but the 49ers kicked a late field goal to win 34–31.^[39] In November against the Jets, Manning threw for three touchdowns in a 24–23 win; he was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for this performance. It was the first game-winning drive of Manning's career, as he hit Marcus Pollard with the game-winning TD pass.^[36][40] Manning was certainly a bright spot in 1998 for the Colts, but he also threw a league high 28 interceptions as the team struggled to a 3–13 record with a defense that gave up more than 27 points per game. The Colts lost many close games, including five games in which they had led by double-digits at some point.^[41][42]

1999-2001[link]

The Colts opened the 1999 season with a 31–14 victory over Buffalo, but gave up a 28–7 lead the following week against the Patriots and lost.^[43][44] After defeating San Diego 27–19 in a game in which Manning threw for over 400 yards, and was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for they lost again, to Miami.^[36][45][46] The Colts responded by winning 11 of their remaining 12 games, finishing 13–3 and the AFC East champions. The 10 game turnaround from the previous year set an NFL record.^[47] As the second seed in the AFC, the Colts earned a first round bye, and faced Tennessee in the playoffs. The Colts lost 19–16 to the Super Bowl bound Titans and Manning was limited to one touchdown run.^[48] Manning finished the year with 4,135 passing yards and 26 passing touchdowns, and was named both Second-team All-Pro and to the Pro Bowl, both firsts for him.^[35][49] In the Pro Bowl, he passed for 270 yards with 2 touchdowns.^[50]

The Colts started the 2000 season inconsistently. Following an opening week victory against Kansas City, they blew a 21–0 lead against the Raiders.^[51][52] The Colts responded with a Monday Night victory against Jacksonville, a 43–14 win in which Manning threw for 430 yards and 4 touchdowns; Manning was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week for this performance.^[36][53] The Colts won 4 of their next 5 games, including one against New England in which Manning posted the first perfect passer rating of his career, but then lost 4 of the 5 games following that. The Colts regained their momentum, winning their final 3 games, including a 31–10 win over Minnesota on Week 17. Manning threw for 4 touchdowns in the win and was again named AFC Offensive Player of the Week and the win gave the Colts a 10–6 record as well as a wild card spot in the playoffs.^[36][54][55] In the wild card game, the Colts fell to the Dolphins 23–17 in overtime. Manning passed for 194 yards and a touchdown in the loss.^[56] He finished the season with 4,413 passing yards and 33 passing touchdowns and was named Second-team All-Pro and to the Pro Bowl.^[35] At the Pro Bowl, Manning threw two touchdown passes.^[57][58]

Manning and the Colts introduced their now-signature no-huddle offense, and used it to great effect in a Week 1 rout of the Jets, 45–24.^[59] Two weeks later (Week two games were not played as scheduled due to the 9/11 attacks, the Colts advanced to 2–0 with a win over Buffalo, behind Manning's 421 yards passing.^[60] He was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week for this game.^[36] However, the Colts lost the following week to New England, and continued their slide, losing their following two games.^[61] The Colts briefly rebounded, winning two games, but then lost 7 of their last 9, including a 40–21 home loss to the 49ers.^[62] After Manning threw a career-high four interceptions in that game, coach Jim Mora uttered his infamous "Playoffs? Don't talk about playoffs. Are you kidding me. Playoffs? I'm just hoping we can win a game, another game" press conference.^[63] Despite the 6–10 record, Manning finished the season with 4,131 passing yards, 26 passing touchdowns, and 4 rushing touchdowns as the offense produced the second most points in the league. However, the defense allowed the most points and Jim Mora was fired after the season.^[35]

2002 season[link]

Tony Dungy would become Manning's second head coach in the NFL. The Colts started off the 2002 season 4–1, before a 3 game losing streak sent them to 4–4. The Colts responded by winning all but two of their remaining games, including a 35–13 upset of the Eagles in which Manning had a perfect passer rating for the second time in his career, giving them a 10–6 record and a spot in the playoffs.^[64] However, the Colts were pummeled by the Jets in the Wild Card game, 41–0, with Manning passing for only 137 yards.^[65] He finished the year with 4,200 passing yards and 27 passing touchdowns and was named to the Pro Bowl team.^[35] In the Pro Bowl, Manning completed five of eleven passes for 100 yards and a touchdown.^[66]

2003 season: First MVP[link]

The 2003 Colts began the season 5–0, including a 55–21 blowout of the Saints in which Manning played his third perfect passer rating game and threw a career-high six TD passes, earning him AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors.^[36] On Monday Night Football against the defending champion Buccaneers, Manning and the Colts trailed 35–14 in the final five minutes. After one short TD drive, the Colts recovered the onside kick. Manning threw a 28 yard TD pass to Marvin Harrison on 4th & 6 to make it 35–28. With 1:41 remaining, Manning got the ball back and drove the offense 85 yards for the game-tying TD. He set up the winning 29 yard field goal in overtime for a stunning 38–35 win. It was the first and only time in NFL history a team won a game after trailing by 21 points in the final 4 minutes of regulation. Manning passed for 386 yards in the game.^[67]

After an overtime loss to Carolina, the Colts won all but three of their remaining games, finishing 12–4.^[68] On November 30 the Colts hosted the 9–2 Patriots in what would be the beginning of the NFL's top rivalry of the 2000s. The Colts trailed 31–10 late in the third quarter before Manning threw three TD passes in a span of six minutes to tie the game. Trailing 38–34 in the final minutes, the Colts had 3 plays at the 1-yard line to try and score the winning TD. Edgerrin James was stuffed on 4th down by Willie McGinest and the Patriots won.^[69] In a Week 14 win against Atlanta, Manning threw for five touchdowns and was named player of the week a second time.^[36][70] He also earned AFC Offensive Player of the Month honors for the month of October.^[36]

In the Wild Card playoff round Manning and the Colts defeated the Denver Broncos 41–10, his first playoff win. He passed for 377 yards and 5 touchdowns in the game, earning him a perfect passer rating, his second of the season and the fourth of his career.^[71] After the game, Manning was awarded Player of the Week honors for the third time that season.^[36] In the divisional playoffs, Manning led the Colts to a 38–31 win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Neither team punted in the game.^[72] In the AFC title game Manning was shut down by the New England Patriots top-ranked defense and posted the third lowest passer rating of his career at 35.5. The Patriots defense intercepted Manning four times and sacked him another four, as the Colts lost the game 24–14.^[73][74]

During the season, Manning was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Month for September and was named the AP NFL co-MVP along with Titans quarterback Steve McNair.^[36][75] Manning also received the ESPY Award for Best NFL Player.^[30] Manning led the league with 4,267 passing yards and threw 29 touchdowns; he was named first-team All-Pro and to the Pro Bowl.^[35][76] He passed for 342 yards and 3 touchdowns in the Pro Bowl, a 55–52 loss.^[77]

2004 season: Second MVP[link]

The 2004 Colts opened the season with a 27–24 loss to the Patriots, after Mike Vanderjagt missed a game tying field goal in the closing seconds of the game.^[78] The Colts won their next four games including a 45–31 win over Green Bay in which Manning threw 5 touchdowns, earning him AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors, but then lost their next two games, to Jacksonville and Kansas City, despite Manning throwing for 840 yards combined in the two games.^{[36][79][80][81]} The Colts responded well, winning their next 8 games before losing their final regular season game to Denver, a game in which Manning played only the first series.^[82] During the month of November, Manning was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week twice; once for his 5 touchdown performance in a 49–14 blowout of Houston and once for his performance in a 41–9 win at Detroit on Thanksgiving in which he threw 6 touchdowns in less than three quarters.^[83][84] Due to his performances in November, Manning earned AFC Offensive Player of the Month honors.^[36] He was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for a fourth time in the week 16 game against San Diego^[36] where he led the Colts to a 34–31 victory after trailing by fifteen in the fourth quarter. With the Colts facing a 4th & 4 at their own 26, Manning waved the punt team off the field and completed a 19 yard pass to Reggie Wayne for the first down. He finished the drive with a 21 yard TD pass to Brandon Stokley, his 49th TD pass of the season, breaking Dan Marino's record of 48. After the two point conversion to tie, Manning got the ball first in overtime and set up the winning field goal. The Colts clinched the AFC's third seed with the win.^[85]

During the season, Manning threw for 4,557 yards, had a record 121.1 passer rating and a then-record 49 touchdown passes.^[35][86] He was selected as the 2004 NFL MVP drawing 49 of 50 votes, was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year and was named the Best NFL Player at the ESPY Awards for the second consecutive year; Manning also received the ESPY Award for Best Record-Breaking Performance for his 49 touchdown passes.^[30][75] The Colts finished the season with a 12–4 record and their second straight AFC South title.^[87] Three Colts receivers had 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns that season, also a record. Sports statistics site Football Outsiders calculates that Manning had the best season ever by a quarterback, play-for-play, in 2004.^[88][89]

In the Wild Card game against Denver, Manning passed for 458 yards and 4 touchdowns.^[90] However, the Colts' 2004 season ended in Foxborough for a second straight year with a 20–3 loss against New England, when Manning recorded a season-low passer rating of 69.3. It was Manning's seventh consecutive loss to the Patriots in Foxborough and the Colts' three points were their lowest single game point total since their opening game of the 2003 season.^[91] Manning was named a Pro Bowl starter; in the Pro Bowl, he threw 3 touchdowns in a 38–27 victory and was named the game's MVP.^[92] Manning was also a unanimous first-team All-Pro selection.^[93]

2005 season[link]

Manning at the 2006 Pro Bowl

In 2005, the Colts had a greatly improved defense over that of recent years. Combining this with their offense, they won their first 13 games, including a 40–21 rout of the two-time defending Super Bowl Champions, New England. This was Manning's first road win against the Patriots in 8 attempts, and his 3 touchdowns passes earned him AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors.^[36][94] By week 15, the Colts had a perfect 13–0 record, and had secured the AFC South and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Nevertheless, Tony Dungy made the decision to play all of his regular starters against the Chargers. However, the Colts played a sub-par game against the Chargers and fell short of the win; the score was 26–17.^[95] Manning finished the season with 3,747 passing yards, the first time he had thrown for under 4,000 yards since his rookie season of 1998, largely because Manning sat out much of the final two games with the top AFC seed clinched. His quarterback rating of 104.1 was the highest in the league for the season.^[35]

In the playoffs, the Pittsburgh Steelers visited the RCA Dome for the second AFC divisional playoff game of the 2005 season. In the 4th quarter with only a few minutes left in the game, Manning threw what looked to be the game-ending interception to Troy Polamalu, but the interception was overturned (a call the NFL later admitted was incorrect).^[96] The Colts went on to score, and were able to get the ball back down three points near the end of the game. On 4th down, Manning was sacked near his own goal line, and the game seemed to be over as the Steelers were one yard from a touchdown. On the next play, the ball was fumbled by Jerome Bettis and picked up by Colts defender Nick Harper who appeared to have a clear path down the sideline for what might have been the game-winning score. However, Steelers' quarterback Ben Roethlisberger managed to dive in front of Harper and tackle him by the leg, saving a touchdown. Then the Colts drove down the field to the Steelers 27 yard line, before Mike Vanderjagt missed a field goal as time ran out.^[97]

Manning came in second in voting for the MVP award to Shaun Alexander ending his streak at two years.^[98] He was named the 2005 winner of the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award and nominated for the FedEx Air Player of the Year Award, along with Tom Brady and Carson Palmer.^[99] Manning was also named first-team All-Pro for the third consecutive year and named to the Pro Bowl squad; in the Pro Bowl, he threw one touchdown pass and three interceptions.^[100][101]

2006 season: Super Bowl championship[link]

Manning and the 2006 Colts visit President George W. Bush at the White House.

Manning opened the 2006 season against his brother Eli's New York Giants on Sunday Night Football (the first "Manning Bowl"). It was the first NFL game with starting quarterbacks that were brothers, and Peyton's team won 26–21.^[102] Manning passed for 400 yards against the Texans in a 43–24 victory, which earned him AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors (he also won the award for his 345 yards and 4 TD passes against the Redskins in week 7). A second trip to New York, this time to play the Jets, produced another Colts win. After taking the lead twice in the fourth quarter, Manning had to lead a third scoring drive, this time finishing with a 1-yard QB sneak rushing TD in the last minute for a 31–28 win.^[103]

At Denver, Manning again led three scoring drives in the fourth quarter in a 34–31 shootout win. He completed 32 of 39 passes for 345 yards and 3 TDs.^[104] Following a second straight season with a win at New England, then a home win against Buffalo, the Colts were the NFL's last unbeaten team at 9–0. Their first loss would come in Dallas. Plagued by a run defense that would allow over 100 yards in every game, the Colts were 11–4 heading into their final game.^[105] Against Miami, Manning threw for 282 yards, 2 TDs and rushed for another TD. The Colts won 27–22, were AFC South division champions, and clinched the third seed in the AFC playoffs. Manning was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week. He ended the regular season with 4,397 passing yards and a league-leading 31 touchdown passes. His passer rating (101.0) was the highest in the league for the third year in a row.^[35] Manning helped the offense set a NFL record for third down conversion rate in a season (56.1%).^[106]

Despite three interceptions, Manning completed 30 out of 38 passes as the Colts beat the Kansas City Chiefs in the Wild Card playoff game by a score of 23–8.^[107] The following week they were limited to five field goals and no touchdowns, but defeated the Baltimore Ravens, 15–6.^[108] In the AFC Championship game against the rival Patriots, the Colts trailed 14–3 when Manning threw an interception that was returned for a TD by Asante Samuel to give New England a 21–3 lead. Manning led the Colts to 32 points in the second half for a 38–34 victory, the final score coming late in the fourth quarter as Manning led the Colts on an 80-yard TD drive to take the lead for the first time in the game. He finished the game with 349 yards passing and two touchdowns (1 rushing). The comeback was the largest deficit ever overcome in a conference championship.^[109]

Manning led the Colts to a 29–17 victory over the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI and was voted Super Bowl MVP.^[110] Manning, who had been criticized for failing to win big games, exorcised his big-game demons with the win. "In years' past when our team's come up short, it's been disappointing," he told reporters. "Somehow we found a way to have learned from some of those losses and we've been a better team because of it."^[111] For his role in the Colts' championship run, Manning was awarded the ESPY for Best Championship Performance.^[112] Manning was again named to the Pro Bowl and was also named Second-team All-Pro; in the Pro Bowl he played only two series, passing for 67 yards.^{[35][113][114]} Following the Super Bowl win, Manning agreed to restructure his contract to save the Colts $8.2 million in salary cap space.^[115]

2007-2008[link]

Manning's Colts opened the NFL season with 7 wins, pitting them against an undefeated Patriots squad in a match-up that was being called "Super Bowl 41.5". Manning and Addai helped the Colts to a 13–7 half-time lead, and an early fourth quarter touchdown upped the lead to 20–10. However, Brady led the Patriots to two late touchdowns, to hand Manning his first loss of the season, 24–20. Manning finished the game with 225 yards passing, including a passing touchdown. He also had a rushing touchdown.^[116]

Manning did not bounce back from the loss well. Against the San Diego Chargers he threw for a career-worst and franchise-record 6 interceptions. Despite this, he was able to rally the Colts from a 23–0 deficit to 23–21, and gave Adam Vinatieri an opportunity to take the lead with a 29-yard field goal. Vinatieri's miss sunk the Colts to 7–2. Manning did not play particularly well against the Kansas City Chiefs either, throwing no touchdowns. However, he managed to lead the Colts on a late drive for a game-winning field goal, rushing for two yards on 4th and 1 in the process. Manning finished the game with 163 passing yards, allowing him to overtake 40,000 in his career.^[117] The victory was Manning's 100th.^[118] The Colts won their next 5 games, securing yet another AFC South title, as well as the AFC's number two seed in the play-offs.^[119] In the final game of the regular season, Manning played only two series before being replaced with back-up Jim Sorgi; the Colts lost the game to the Titans, 16–10.^[3] Manning finished the season with 4,040 passing yards, 31 touchdown passes, and a quarterback rating of 98.0.^[35] In the divisional round of the playoffs, Manning and the Colts lost to the Chargers, 28–24. Manning helped the Colts to 4 different leads but could not lead a final touchdown drive for the win. Manning finished the game with 402 yards passing and 3 passing touchdowns.^[120] Peyton was widely viewed during Super Bowl XLII as he cheered on brother Eli and the New York Giants in their upset of the New England Patriots. Manning was named a Pro Bowl starter and passed for 147 yards and a touchdown in three series.^[121]

On July 14, 2008, Manning had surgery to remove an infected bursa sac in his left knee.^[122] Manning, who had worn a knee brace due to problems since he was in college, sat out all four preseason games and missed most of training camp.

In the first regular season game at new Lucas Oil Stadium, the Colts lost 29–13 to the Chicago Bears. The following week they fell behind 15–0 to the Minnesota Vikings in the 2nd half before rallying to win the game on Adam Vinatieri's 47 yard field goal. Manning passed for 311 yards as the Colts avoided their first 0–2 start since Manning's rookie season.^[123] Week 3 matched the Colts with division rival Jacksonville. Manning threw 2 interceptions in the game, including one that was returned for a TD by Rashean Mathis. Jacksonville rushed for 236 yards and held the ball for over 41 minutes. Still, trailing by 6 late in the game Manning led the Colts on a 77-yard TD drive to take a 21–20 lead. Jacksonville kicker Josh Scobee made a 51 yard field goal to win the game and drop the Colts to 1–2.^[124]

For the third week in a row, Manning used the 4th quarter to bring the Colts back from a 27–10 deficit in the last 5 minutes against the Houston Texans to a 31–27 victory. It was the first time an NFL team had won a game in regulation after trailing by 17 points in the last 5 minutes.^[125] Manning threw a 7 yard TD pass on 4th & 6 to rookie tight end Tom Santi to make the deficit 27–17. Houston QB Sage Rosenfels, starting for the injured Matt Schaub, then fumbled the ball on a scramble, and it was returned 68 yards for a TD by Gary Brackett. After another Rosenfels fumble, Manning threw the 5-yard game-winning TD pass to Reggie Wayne. The Colts scored 3 TDs in 2:10.^[126]

On October 12 Manning led the Colts to a 31–3 blow out win at Lucas Oil Stadium against the Baltimore Ravens to avoid their first 0–3 start at home since 1997. Manning was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for the 17th time in his career for his effort of 3 TD passes and 271 yards passing.^[127] It was revealed during the game by CBS commentators Jim Nantz and Phil Simms that Manning had a second surgery on his knee before the season started. Colts coach Tony Dungy confirmed this report the day after the Baltimore game.^[128]