Peyton Manning reveals talking to Michael Jordan while deciding to come back for 4th year at Tennessee

Peyton Manning was the top pick in the 1998 NFL draft. The Indianapolis Colts drafted the quarterback after he played four years of college football at Tennessee. However, Manning recently opened up on how NBA legend and six-time champion Michael Jordan influenced his decision to return to the Vols for his fourth and final year of college eligibility.

In an episode of "Bussin’ With the Boys" that was released on Tuesday, Manning said his father, Archie Manning, urged him to speak to top athletes across the country before making his decision to enter the draft.

“Somehow he (Archie) helped me get some phone numbers,” Manning said. “So I called Troy Aikman, who stayed four years in college (OU/UCLA). He said he really wanted to be the first pick in the draft. That was important to him — and, he was. Drew Bledsoe left (Washington State) as a junior. He said he knew he was going to be the first pick in the draft as a junior and he was like, ‘I’m ready to go.'” (Timestamp 1:15:30)

Manning then recalled how he also spoke with Chicago Bulls icon Jordan, who spent three years at North Carolina before the Bulls drafted him with the No. 3 pick in the 1984 NBA draft.

“I’m totally name-dropping here, I talked to Michael Jordan, who came out as a junior,” Manning said. “And he just said, ‘Look, I thought I was ready.’ And I guess I came away with, it truly has to be your decision of what you really want.”

When Manning called Jordan in 1997, the Bulls superstar had already won four NBA championships.

A look at Peyton Manning's collegiate career at Tennessee

Former Tennessee QB Peyton Manning - Source: Imagn

During his four years at Tennessee, Manning completed 863 of 1,381 passes for 11,201 yards and 89 touchdowns. He also threw 33 interceptions and rushed for 12 touchdowns.

He was named the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year in 1994 and named SEC Player of the Year in 1997. Manning is one of the 20 athletes in the University of Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame.

Manning then played 14 seasons in the NFL with the Colts and then had a four-year stint with the Denver Broncos. He won the Super Bowl in 2007 with Indy and in 2016 with the Broncos, which was also the final game of his pro football career.