Next Sunday, Peyton Manning will start his 292nd career NFL game. Fittingly, a win would give him a record 200 career regular-season and playoff win as a starting quarterback, as well as a chance to retire on top with his second Super Bowl victory.
A lot has happened in the 17 years and four months that have surpassed since Manning made his first NFL start — fittingly against then passing yardage and touchdown leader Dan Marino and the Miami Dolphins — on Sept. 6, 1998.
Here’s what the world looked like on the day Manning attempted his first of 10,384 career passes.
The Colts played at the RCA Dome and were coming off a 3-13 season. They played in the AFC East, alongside the Jets, Dolphins, Bills and Patriots. They wouldn’t break ground to construct Lucas Oil Stadium for another seven years.
The NFL had 30 teams. No Houston Texans, no Cleveland Browns.
Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Want To Miss a Thing” was the No. 1 song in the country. And the original “Rush Hour” — starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker — was two weeks from release.
Two days prior, Stanford University students Larry Page and Sergey Brin founded a company called Google. Its mission statement was “to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.”
Cam Newton was 9 years old. He would have been starting fourth grade.
Kylie Jenner had just turned 1. This is Kylie Jenner now…
— Kylie Jenner (@KylieJenner) January 11, 2016
Apple had just released the iMac G3. Steve Jobs had only been back with the company for a year. The first iPod was three years away; the first iPhone wasn’t released for another nine years.
Roger Maris held the all-time single-season home run record. At least for one more day. The day after Manning’s first-ever start, Mark McGwire tied Maris with his 61st home run of ’98. He broke the record on the Tuesday. Maris’ mark now ranks seventh all time, behind six asterisks.
Furby was about to become a Christmas hit. The weird little electronic toy would retail for over $100 during the holiday season.
Britney Spears was a month away from releasing her first single, “…Baby One More Time.” She was 16.
The Lewinsky scandal was in full swing. Three months later, Bill Clinton was impeached.
Nobody knew who a 4-year-old Justin Bieber was. Or 12-year-old Stefani Germanotta, who later became known as Lady Gaga. Or 8-year-old Taylor Swift.
Barack Obama was serving his second year as an Illinois state senator. His hair looked different.
