Manning's Jersey Retired During Spring Game

On one of the biggest days of his life, the day that will soon make him a multimillionaire quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts, Manning took time to take a curtain call in Knoxville.

"It's certainly a day I'll never forget," he said.

Manning was honored at halftime of Tennessee's spring scrimmage. His jersey was retired, and the first Peyton Manning Scholarship was awarded to an incoming freshman from Bulls Gap named Jay Steven Burns.

"I know there are people all over the country who don't realize why I'm standing here on the night I realized my dream of going to the NFL," Manning told the crowd of 12,412 during the halftime ceremony. "It's because they have never been in this great place."

Manning said he is excited to be going to the Colts, who made him the No. 1 pick in Saturday's draft. The franchise has a new president, Bill Polian, and new coach, Jim Mora.

"I think it is an advantage," Manning said. "It's a new system for everybody."

Manning said he doesn't worry about the pressure of being the No. 1 selection.

"I'm my own biggest critic," he said. "It's all in how you perform. I plan to produce and be an asset to the Indianapolis Colts. That's my goal."

Manning said he will go to mini-camp next week, but then he can't report to the Colts until June 1. That is an NFL rule, apparently intended to keep seniors from dropping out of school as soon as they're drafted.

Manning, who graduated last May, said he felt he was being punished unfairly and appealed to the NFL to waive the rule. The league declined.

Manning said he is staying out of the contract negotiations. "That's up to Tom Condon and the Colts," he said. "All I'm thinking of is learning the new system and trying to win football games."

For fans who have read for years of Manning's devotion to studying the game, here's a new chapter. He went from New York, where he attended the draft, to Indianapolis for a press conference before flying to Knoxville.

He picked up a playbook while he was in Indiana and began studying it on the flight to Tennessee.