The Indianapolis Colts took Peyton Manning first overall in the 1998 draft. Bowman Chrome gave him card #1 of a 220-card set that opened with thirty rookies.
Card number one of the set, for the first pick in the draft.
Bowman Chrome had begun in baseball the year before: the regular Bowman design, reprinted on chromium stock and sold in four-card packs.
Manning is in the Colts' blue jersey, number 18, and white helmet, dropping back with the ball up, inside a silver chrome border. The horseshoe sits in the upper corner, a QB football at the lower left, and PEYTON MANNING in gold at the foot.
The Refractor version came one in twelve packs, with the word Refractor printed small on the back. There were also Interstate versions with a map of the player's hometown behind him, and a Golden Anniversary parallel numbered to 50.
His rookie season was hard on the Colts, who went 3–13, but not on him: 3,739 yards and 26 touchdown passes, with rookie records along the way. He would win five Most Valuable Player awards, more than anyone.
