Manning sponsors unfazed by suit

Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2003 | 9:56 a.m.

SUN WIRE REPORTS

The defamation lawsuit against Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning will not affect his relationship with at least one of the companies that uses him as a pitchman.

"It's a matter that's best served in a court, and while we can't comment on what happened seven years ago, we can say it will have no bearing on our relationship with Peyton Manning," Andy Horrow, communications director for Gatorade said Tuesday. "Peyton is a gentleman and a hard-working player. He's one of the all-around good guys in sports."Manning, who makes $9.8 million from the Colts, is being sued in Polk County (Fla.) Circuit Court by a former University of Tennessee trainer, Jamie Ann Naughright, who says Manning defamed her in his book, "Manning: A Father, His Sons and a Football Legacy."

Naughright, who says that Manning's comments led to her losing her job at Florida Southern College, is now working in private injury rehabilitation.

Johnson, a backup for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' championship team last season, played two games with the Washington Redskins this season before being cut.