New pads and helmets were waiting in the Rogersville (Tenn.) Middle School football team's locker room.
So was one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time.
Watch what happened when Vol and NFL legend Peyton Manning sprung cutting age Riddell gear on these middle schoolers. The look on their faces is absolutely priceless.
Manning's surprise visit was part of Riddell's Smarter Football equipment grant. Rogersville was one of 18 schools nationwide to receive tackle-tracking Riddell smart helmets which are geared to track head hits and help coaches take helmet-first tackles and blocks out of the game.
High-tech gridiron gifts were only the half of it, too. According to the Kingsport Times-News, Manning helped players test their new equipment out -- with a 90-minute workout session.
Rogersville coach Jeremy Bailey said the surprise made his team feel "invincible."
"He showed (the quarterback) his three step drop, plant his foot and throw, working with the wide receivers, talking about them being crisp on their routes, coming back to the ball, curls and hitches," Bailey told the Kingsport Times-News. "Talking to the quarterbacks about staying in the pocket. Use your feet. Use your eyes. See it happen and just be accurate on your throws. He stayed from 3:30 to 5 p.m. just working offense."
"That was the cool thing about Peyton. He wasn't there to sign autographs and take pictures. He wanted to be out there with the kids coaching."
You can learn more about Riddell's Smarter Football Grant here.
