Peyton Manning, the former NFL quarterback, was accused of using human growth hormone (HGH) during his career in 2011.
The NFL conducted a thorough investigation over seven months but found no substantial evidence to support the claims.
Highlights
- Al Jazeera aired a documentary report, The Dark Side: Secrets of the Sports Dopers, that connected Peyton Manning to a doping circle.
- The former NFL quarterback confirmed the shipments were sent to his home but were meant for his wife.
- He was sidelined for the 2011 season after undergoing neck surgery.
Peyton Williams Manning, also known as “The Sheriff,” is regarded as one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history.
Over his 18-season career, he played 14 years with the Indianapolis Colts and 4 years with the Denver Broncos.
Manning’s football journey began at Isidore Newman School and continued under coach Phillip Fulmer at the University of Tennessee, where he played for the Volunteers.
Selected by the Indianapolis Colts as the first overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft, he served as their starting quarterback from 1998 to 2010.
During his time with the Colts, Peyton led the team to a Super Bowl XLI victory and was named Super Bowl MVP.
He capped off his career with the Denver Broncos, earning another championship by winning Super Bowl 50 before retiring from professional football.
After 18 seasons in the NFL, Peyton Manning announced his retirement on March 7, 2016.
Manning’s legacy was further solidified when the Indianapolis Colts unveiled a bronze statue of him outside Lucas Oil Stadium on October 7, 2017.
The ceremony drew hundreds of fans, and Manning was inducted into the Colts’ Ring of Honor.
His jersey was also retired, making him the first player in the franchise’s Indianapolis era to receive such an honor.
Peyton And His Wife, Ashley Manning, Accused Of Getting HGH
Al Jazeera aired a documentary titled The Dark Side: Secrets of the Sports Dopers, which linked Peyton Manning to a doping network.
The report claimed that after Manning’s neck surgery in 2011, an anti-aging clinic in Indianapolis sent human growth hormone (HGH) supplements addressed to Manning’s wife, Ashley.
The allegations stirred controversy but were never substantiated with concrete evidence.
Report: Clinic mailed HGH to Peyton Manning's wife in 2011https://t.co/5nWV5So2lD pic.twitter.com/AkkImDY2CX
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) December 27, 2015
After neck surgery in 2011, Peyton Manning missed the entire season and later signed with the Denver Broncos.
In response to the allegations in the Al Jazeera documentary, Manning decided not to file a lawsuit against the network.
However, their legal team attempted to obtain records from his lawyers.
Manning confirmed that packages containing human growth hormone (HGH) were sent to his home, but they were intended for his wife, Ashley.
He emphasized that he had never used anything illegal, and his wife’s medical matters were private.
The Denver Broncos stood by their quarterback, expressing their confidence in Manning’s integrity.
They described him as someone who had always respected the game, particularly during his four seasons with the team, and they dismissed the allegations as unsubstantiated.
Peyton and Ashley Manning met in college at the University of Virginia and married on St. Patrick’s Day in 2001.
The couple has twin sons, Marshall Williams and Mosley Thompson, born on March 31, 2011.
Additional Information
- 48 years old Peyton Manning was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on March 24, 1976.
- He is the second son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning and Olivia Williams. He grew up with Cooper and Eli.
- Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame named him the 2016 Tennessean of the Year and inducted him into the Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame.
- He has amassed an estimated net worth of $250 million as of 2025.
- In 2019, Manning was named to the NFL 100 All-Time Team, cementing his place as one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history.
