Tennessee legend Peyton Manning has first-hand experience working with companies on various name, image and likeness deals to pitch products and services.

But he’s also aware of how to balance endorsements with a football career. During a visit on Sports Radio WNML on Sunday evening, Manning offered some advice to current college players.

“My advice to all these kids would be just to be sure you kind of keep the priorities in order,” he said. “The first thing you’re there for is to get your education, and that’s got to be tops. If we’re not taking care of our school work and not acting right in class, then the football is not going to be available because you’re not going to be allowed to play.”

Then he moved to the football part of the equation, and eventually explained how he managed commercials as an NFL player. He said he worked twice as hard with each commercial, because he didn’t want people to say he’s doing too many of them.

“That’s got to be why you’re there, to get a great education to be the best football player you can be,” Manning said. “Anything else that you do, or participate in, is kind of in that extra-curricular activity, that’s community service. Now it’s obviously these NILs that are in place. To me, if players get too pre-occupied with that and they’re not concentrating on the football and the education, that’s not what being a student-athlete is supposed to be.  … Remember that some of these opportunities are going to be coming your way, but you have to continue to earn those. If you’re not scoring a lot of touchdowns or getting a lot of sacks, some of those things might go away.”