Earlier this week, Tennessee Republican Sen. Bob Corker announced his intentions to retire in 2018. It didn't take long for some names to surface as possible candidates to replace him.

One of the names that has popped up is Peyton Manning. Yes, that Peyton Manning.

According to Republican Rep. Scott DesJarlais, the former Colts and Broncos quarterback may be eyeing a career in politics, though DesJarlais doesn't believe he'll run for Corker's seat in 2018. Instead, Manning could have his eye on Sen. Lamar Alexander's seat in 2020 if Alexander chooses not to seek re-election.

It's worth noting that Manning shot down the idea of a career in politics after similar rumblings surfaced earlier this year.

"I don't know where that came from," Manning told reporters in March. "Last week I was going to run a team, this week I'm going to apparently run for Senate, and next week I'll be an astronaut. … I have no interest in the political world, but would like to continue serving communities."

Has the quarterback called an audible and reconsidered that stance? Or are these just more unsubstantiated rumors coming from those who wish he would run?

That's still up in the air, but here's something a little more certain: A Manning campaign would draw significant interest and likely do quite well in the state of Tennessee. The quarterback is a legend not only in the NFL but also at the University of Tennessee, where he played his college football. He's well-liked and extremely popular within the state.

Would that clout translate to the ballots? Maybe we'll one day find out, or maybe not. But if Manning does indeed run for Senate, that might leave an always-competitive Tom Brady no choice but to run for president once he retires somewhere around 2056.