"Before they were legends, they were rookies."
Fanatics debuted "The Locker Room" documentary short on Tuesday, Aug. 5. NFL past legends and current stars, like Tom Brady, Joe Montana, Peyton Manning, Tim Brown, Puka Nacua, and Micah Parsons, sent personal video messages and customized, autographed jersey to rookies.
Before seeing their surprise messages and jerseys, rookies, including former Penn State tight end Tyler Warren and cornerback Abdul Carter, reflected on their feelings about being a professional football player.
"Having my name on an Indianapolis Colts jersey is really cool," Warren said.
Some received messages from past and current players of the same position, but Manning's personal message to the young tight end welcomed him into the Indianapolis Colts family from a former Colt to a newcomer. The two-time Super Bowl champion and five-time NFL MVP quarterback spent 14 seasons and started his NFL career in Indianapolis.
"It's not always easy competing in the NFL," Manning said. "But Colts fans stuck with me, and I know they'll be behind you every step of the way."
The transition from college to the pros started off a little rocky for Warren who struggled to hold onto passes in the first few practices. However, the 14th overall selection of the 2025 NFL Draft quickly learned and became a standout player soon enough in OTAs and minicamp. After showcasing his abilities as both a pass catcher and blocker, the Colts have a valuable asset their working to weave into the run and passing game. Warren is currently listed as tight end one on the Indianapolis depth chart.
"The biggest difference between being a pro compared to college, I mean everybody's a pro, right? Everybody's really good and it's tough competition," Warren said to the Associated Press' Michael Marot. "But that's a blessing. Great competition is a gift. Being around really good players is only going to make me better."
As a senior at Penn State in 2024, Warren set a program record with 104 receptions, set a Big Ten conference record with four rushing touchdowns as a tight end, and was the recipient of the John Mackey Award. He posted 1,233 receiving yards and 218 rushing yards on 26 attempts as well.
The Colts will take on the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday, Aug. 7 for their first preseason game. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. at M&T Bank Stadium. On Sunday, Sept. 7, Warren will experience his first NFL regular season game at 1 p.m. against the Dolphins at Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium.