|
 Manning, who turns 40 later this month, will be going out on top
after helping the Broncos to a Super Bowl upset victory last month
over the Carolina Panthers, in a development first reported by ESPN.
"When you look at everything Peyton has accomplished as a player and
person, it’s easy to see how fortunate we’ve been to have him on our
team,” John Elway, Broncos Executive Vice President of Football
Operations and General Manager, said in a statement.
“Peyton was everything that we thought he was and even more - not
only for the football team but in the community. I’m very thankful
Peyton chose to play for the Denver Broncos, and I congratulate him
on his Hall of Fame career.”
Manning, who informed the Broncos of his decision on Saturday night,
joins Elway as the only quarterbacks to retire after winning a Super
Bowl. Elway stepped away from the game after claiming the 1998
title, his second in a row for Denver.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell paid tribute to Manning.
"Peyton Manning's extraordinary career was driven by his talent, an
incredible work ethic, and an unwavering desire to be the best and
ended so perfectly for him with a Super Bowl victory," Goodell said
in a statement.
 "Peyton's competitive fire and love of the game made him a legendary
player who thrilled fans for a generation. He has served as a great
representative of the NFL both on the field and in his community."
Manning's decision came as the Broncos faced a Wednesday deadline in
which Manning would be guaranteed a whopping $19 million from Denver
for the 2016 National Football League season if he remained on the
team's roster.
One of the most prolific passers ever in the NFL, Manning
revolutionized the quarterback position during an 18-year career
that included two Super Bowl titles, five most valuable player
awards and a slew of passing records.
Manning came across as a laid back southern boy but on the gridiron
he was a clinical, ruthless competitor with an off-the-charts
football IQ who changed plays at the line of scrimmage to outsmart
opposing defenses with his dead-on accuracy.
He played his final four seasons in Denver but his prime came during
the 14 years he spent in Indianapolis where he led the Colts to two
Super Bowls berths, winning the big game in the 2006 campaign.
[to top of second column] |
"Few have left their marks on a sport as Peyton Manning has," Colts
owner Jim Irsay said in a statement.
"Simply put, he revolutionized NFL football. Peyton energized it as
had no one before him, he made it more fun for our fans, and made
the game better."
In addition to his career yards and passing touchdowns records and
the record five MVP awards, Manning's Super Bowl win gave him an NFL
best 200 career wins including playoffs.
He also became the first starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl
with two different teams.
A foot injury hampered Manning for much of the 2015 campaign and he
showed a distinct loss of throwing power.
But after his return from a six-game absence, he avoided mistakes
and helped support the fierce Broncos defense during an improbable
late run to the NFL title as the oldest quarterback to start and win
a Super Bowl.
Denver head coach Gary Kubiak said the timing was pure Manning.
"After competing against Peyton many, many times, I already had
great respect for him," said Kubiak. "But being with him this
season, going through what we went through and accomplishing what we
accomplished — that was special.
"He and I battled together and along the way we talked about
dreaming that it could end the way it ended. And I’ll be damned, it
did."
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Mark
Lamport-Stokes and Larry Fine)
[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2016 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
