How Peyton Manning congratulated Tennessee football teammate Todd Helton on Baseball Hall of Fame

The Colorado Rockies picked the perfect narrator for Todd Helton's Baseball Hall of Fame video: Peyton Manning.

Both are Tennessee legends and went on to be pro heroes in the city of Denver. They were even teammates, with Helton playing quarterback along with Manning for Tennessee football. And now, they're both in their respective sports hall of fame.

"17 years, each of those days dedicated to one team, one city, one fanbase," Manning said in the video released Tuesday after the announcement. "And now, at last, a Hall of Famer. Todd, congratulations on your induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

"Congratulations, pal."

Helton became the first UT player to be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. The Colorado Rockies first baseman was one of three players named to the 2024 class. He received 79.7% of the vote, eclipsing the 75% threshold for induction. Third baseman Adrián Beltre and catcher Joe Mauer will be inducted with Helton in Cooperstown, New York, on July 21.

Helton was a star for Tennessee baseball, but he was as a quarterback for the Vols, too. He was briefly the starting quarterback for Tennessee in 1994 after Jerry Colquitt's knee injury in the season opener.

Manning, then a freshman, took over the starting role after Helton suffered an injury of his own. Helton completed 36 of 66 passes for 406 yards with two touchdowns to three interceptions in three starts.

Manning took over and went on to become the No. 1 overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft. His pro career took him to the Denver Broncos from 2012-15, where he won Super Bowl 50 in the final game of his career. Helton spent all 17 years of his career in Denver, and his time in Colorado overlapped with Manning before his retirement in 2013.

Manning was at Helton's final MLB game at Coors Field when he hit his final home run.

Helton, a Knoxville Central High graduate, was a two-time first-team All-American at Tennessee before getting drafted No. 8 overall in the 1995 MLB Draft. He led the SEC in every hitting statistic except batting average in his last season with the Vols.

ADAMS: Finally, Todd Helton is where he belongs — in the Baseball Hall of Fame

He ended his college career as the 1995 National Collegiate Baseball Player of the Year and SEC Athlete of the Year. Helton's No. 3 jersey was retired by Tennessee in 2008.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: What Peyton Manning said of Todd Helton joining Baseball Hall of Fame