Randy Moss blames Peyton Manning for duo not teaming up at Tennessee

Randy Moss revealed on Monday’s night ManningCast that Peyton Manning did play a role in him not committing to the University of Tennessee out of high school.

There was a time where Randy Moss could have been college teammates with Peyton Manning at Tennessee…

The Pro Football Hall of Famers were 1997 Heisman Trophy finalists. The Tennessee Volunteers quarterback, the Marshall Thundering Herd wide receiver and Washington State Cougars quarterback Ryan Leaf all lost to Michigan Wolverines defensive back Charles Woodson. While three of the four had amazing NFL careers, all four are legends at their respective alma maters.

When asked by Peyton’s younger brother Eli on Monday night’s ManningCast, Moss recounts the tale as to why he did not commit to Tennessee.

Here is what led to Manning and Tennessee getting Moss’d back before that was even a thing.

Peyton Manning is partially to blame for Randy Moss not going to Tennessee

Admittedly, Tennessee was somewhat of a long shot to even land Moss in his high-profile recruitment. The Rand, West Virginia native always wanted to play his college football for Notre Dame. His cousin Eric Moss also happened to play for The Ohio State University. Moss also had a strong connection to Florida State because of the Seminoles’ iconic head coach Bobby Bowden.

What Moss shared is that when he went to visit Tennessee, Manning was late to greet him in Knoxville. In his mind, Manning “wasn’t punctual” and “that was the reason [Moss] didn’t become a Volunteer. Peyton was late.”

"“When I went to Tennessee, all I heard was Peyton Manning was in Virginia at a family member’s house,” said Moss on the ManningCast. “He is trying to drive back just to recruit you. I was like, ‘Well, if he is driving here just to recruit me, why isn’t he here right now to get me?'”"

As it turns out, Manning was trying to get back to Knoxville from Charlottesville, where his then-girlfriend, now-wife Ashley was attending college at Virginia. Despite his best sales pitch of saying he would throw to him every play and in three years they both would be entering the NFL, Moss was not having it. He would commit to Notre Dame, but never played a snap for the Fighting Irish.

Moss had his Notre Dame scholarship rescinded because of a racially charged fight in high school. He would then sign with Florida State, where he would spend his first two college seasons. Moss later left Tallahassee to become the greatest player in Marshall football history, as he caught one touchdown pass after another from another Thundering Herd icon, quarterback Chad Pennington.

Although Manning seemed to do just fine without Moss in Knoxville, maybe he would have made a difference in a few of those Florida games? Regardless, it is all in good fun, as these are two of the greatest ambassadors the sport of football has in it today. Manning and Moss have successfully pivoted into the media game in the years since hanging up the spikes. Oh, what could have been…

Manning to Moss might have put up video games numbers beyond what Pennington to Moss did.

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