You may recognize the brand ambassador/strategic advisor who will be headlining Riddell’s “Smarter Football” campaign in 2019.
Peyton Manning, who wore Riddell helmets during his time in the NFL, now works with the company and he helped appoint Peoria High School in Arizona as its “Team of the Future,” loading up the football team with new equipment.
“Peoria High School is bringing the future of football to the field, and that’s the kind of approach Riddell wants to support. We are honored to equip such an exemplary program with advanced protective gear,” Manning said in a statement.
Per a press release from Riddell:
Smarter Football is Riddell’s grassroots movement that recognizes and rewards teams across the country for implementing ‘smarter’ tactics on and off the field. Since its inception, more than 3,600 football programs across North America, from youth to semi-pro, have applied for a Smarter Football equipment grant. Riddell and Peyton Manning will select 10 grant winners for 2019 with Manning donating Riddell’s InSite impact monitoring technology to all winning programs.
The Lions attempt to convert on fourth downs, always attempt two-point tries after scores and always attempt onside kicks after scores. The school could be leading the way toward a new era of football and Riddell wanted their brand associated with that style of football.
“The team’s commitment to player development on and off the field sets an incredibly high standard for the football community,” Manning said.
Manning, 43, retired from the NFL in 2016 after winning Super Bowl 50 with the Denver Broncos. Before that, he won Super Bowl XLI with the Indianapolis Colts in 2007. Manning is the only QB in NFL history to start and win a Super Bowl with two different teams.
