Hold your horses, everyone: former Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning is not running for the Senate anytime soon.
The Super Bowl 50 champion has shut down speculation that he is planning a 2018 bid for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by the retirement of Republican Bob Corker in Tennessee.
“I certainly have an interest in politics and in our country,” Manning told WGFX-FM on Wednesday, the Associated Press reported. “I just have zero interest in being a politician.”
Listen to Manning’s audible on the issue during an interview with Nashville radio show “3HL” below.
“Zero interest,” Manning said when asked about political aspirations, adding that there are constant rumors about his career moves since retiring from the NFL in March 2016. “Next week I’m going to be an astronaut … I am really just interested in selling pizza and insurance,” he joked, referencing being a spokesman for Nationwide and Papa John’s.
AUDIO: Peyton Manning on a Senate run, @Vol_Football, Pat Summitt, the job @UTCoachJones has done and more on #3HL https://t.co/cszCMaUOg5
— 3HL (@3HL1045) September 27, 2017
Corker had informed reporters earlier in the day that he hoped Manning would fill his shoes, saying: “Is there a chance down the road that he can be enticed to run for the United States Senate or something like that? I hope so,” he said, adding that the NFL veteran texted him after his retirement announcement Tuesday to plead with the senator not to “fan the flames.”
Manning, a two-time Super Bowl champion, was born in New Orleans, but played college football for the University of Tennessee. He led the Volunteers to the 1997 SEC Championship in his senior season.
He sent Twitter into a frenzy a few months ago when he was spotted playing golf with President Trump and — you guessed it — Corker.