Peyton Manning paid tribute to another former Tennessee Volunteer who is now in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Todd Helton was voted to Cooperstown on Tuesday after a 17-year Major League Baseball career that began and ended in Denver.
Manning, who was teammates with Helton on the 1994 Tennessee football team, made sure to congratulate him on social media.
“It was an honor to be your backup, an honor to be your fan, an honor to be your friend. Congratulations to HOF Todd, so well deserved,” Manning wrote. Ta.
In 1994, Helton briefly served as the Volunteers' starting QB after first-stringer Jerry Colquitt suffered a knee injury in the season opener.
The soon-to-be star completed 36-of-66 passes for 406 yards and two touchdowns in his first three games that season, before an injury to his own forced Manning to take over as QB.
And the rest, as they say, is history.
Both went on to successful careers in their respective sports, with Helton winning his way to Cooperstown with 79.7 percent of the votes.
Manning will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021.
Helton played for the Rockies from 1997 to 2013, hitting .316/.414/.539 with 369 home runs and 1,406 RBI.
His resume also included five All-Star Game appearances, four Silver Slugger Awards, three Gold Glove Awards, and one batting title (2000).
Manning, 17 years into his NFL career, overlapped with Helton in Denver during two seasons in 2012 and 2013, when the legendary quarterback played for the Broncos.
Manning also congratulated the Rockies on a video they put together.
“For 17 years, those days were dedicated to one team, one city, one fan base,” Manning said in a video posted on social media. “And now, you're finally inducted into the Hall of Fame. Congratulations, Todd, on your induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Congratulations, buddy.”
Helton will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on July 21, along with third baseman Adrian Beltre and catcher Joe Mauer.
