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Peyton Manning Crashes College Zoom Class, Urges Students To 'Help Someone In Need' During Coronavirus Pandemic

(CBS4) -- Former Denver Bronocos and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning surprised students at the University of Tennessee -- by popping into one of their online classes.

"I just want to drop in and say hello to all the fellow communication students there, and realize that this is a unique time and probably not the ideal way you guys expected to spend your senior year but I just encourage you to keep a positive attitude, keep working like you're doing, and try to take advantage of the little bit of extra time you have to accomplish something else or help out somebody in need. A lot of people are hurting out there during this time. Be thankful for what you have."

You can see one student's jaw drop after Manning takes over the screen, and she quickly gets out her phone to snap a picture. Then others start to catch on.

peyton manning
(credit: University of Tennessee)

Dr. Haas, with the School of Communication, said there is a particular student who has asked him repeatedly to introduce her to Manning.

"Her family worships Peyton Manning. And, for her, this was a moment that kind of goes far beyond what she possibly could have imagined -- especially in this online environment," Haas says in the video.

Manning got lots of thank yous from the students, but Haas got a bit of a reprimand.

"Dr. Haas! Some of us did not even put on makeup this morning! My god!" one student teased.

 

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