Chicago Bears Countdown to Kickoff: 38 Days with Danieal Manning

Tonight, NFL football will make its quasi-return with the Hall of Fame game, and while it will be nice to see members of the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns take the field in Canton, the game also marks 38 days until the first Sunday of the NFL season. To celebrate the season inching closer and closer, today's installment of Chicago Bears Countdown to Kickoff will focus on the life and career of the best player in franchise history to don the number 38, safety Danieal Manning.

Danieal Manning's journey from Texas to the Chicago Bears

A native of Corsicana, Texas, Manning's football career began at Corsicana High School. There, Manning played mainly in the defensive backfield but also spent time on offense and special teams. Manning started for his final three seasons, with his best coming perhaps as a senior, where he logged 67 tackles, three interceptions, and 10 pass breakups. He helped his team post a 36-13 cumulative record across his four years and even led the unit to the state playoff quarterfinals twice.

Manning was also a star in track and field, with his speed being a big factor in his success on the gridiron. In his senior year, he finished in the top two of the 4A class in both the triple jump and the 100-meter dash. Across the nation, Manning was a top-four finalist in the latter event.

Following his high school career, Manning garnered attention from several top collegiate programs, including Nebraska, Texas, Oklahoma, Penn State, and Alabama. Considered one of the top secondary prospects of his class, Manning eventually elected to join the Cornhuskers, but after joining the team in the fall of 2001, the safety never enrolled in the school, and ended up leaving the program a year later. Manning aimed to return to the state of Texas, where he attended Abilene Christian University, a campus just under 250 miles west of his home. While Abilene Christian is now an FCS program, the football team was in Division II when Manning joined the school in 2002.

Manning made his first appearance during the 2003 season, where he logged playing time in 10 games. While Manning was used mainly on defense, his blazing speed forced the coaching staff to give the dynamic athlete touches on both offense and special teams. Dangerous with the ball in his hands, Manning finished his first season with 650 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns while adding 56 tackles, six interceptions, and four pass breakups.

During the 2004 season, where he again appeared in 10 games on defense, offense, and special teams, he totaled 54 tackles, five of which were for a loss, two interceptions, and six pass breakups on defense while adding 710 yards and three touchdowns as a returner. During his final collegiate season in 2005, Manning had another great season and led his team with three interceptions. He also logged 49 total tackles, a sack, and four pass breakups while adding 640 total yards on offense and in the return game.