When Belichick’s coaching days are over, there is no doubt that Manning will share similar thoughts when looking back on his career.
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I swung my camera around and captured some quick after-the-game photos of then-Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning as he greeted Green Bay Packers at about the 40 yard line on the south end of Lambeau Field.
Manning’s retirement leaves the Broncos with $19 million in salary cap relief they can use to try to sign his long-time backup, Brock Osweiler, who’s set to become a free agent Wednesday.
He found a new home in Denver, sparking a run of success in which the Broncos posted a league-high 55 total wins and a. 764 winning mark, reaching the Super Bowl in 2014 and 2016 and winning the latter.
Peyton Manning had done a lot in his young career up to this point, but this was the topper. He raised the performance of those around him and raised the level of excellence here.
“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”, Broncos executive vice president of football operations and general manager John Elway said in a statement released to the press.
“The Denver Broncos are so proud to have called Peyton Manning our quarterback for the last four years, and we can’t thank him enough for his many contributions to our team and community”.
While changing the game, he also burnished a remarkable off-the-field career – showing fans and fellow players that, yes, when the time is right, you can do the commercials, do the amusing on “Saturday Night Live”, build multimillion-dollar charities and somehow come off like the guy next door.
Peyton Manning has hung up the number 18 jersey he wore in leading the Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts to Super Bowl titles and both clubs remembered him fondly Sunday. He represents the struggle to get there, too.
In addition to owning the career yards and passing touchdowns records, Manning won a record five league MVPs. He showed me exactly what a leader is.
That sounds fair enough to me because Luck never has been and never will be Manning. “I’m going to miss him”. It is uncertain whether that investigation will continue now that Manning is retiring.
Are we looking at the greatest ever? Thru all the adversity, you stayed consistent in your quest for greatness!
I guess you have to ask yourself this. “You’re the REAL MVP”!!!
But as a photographer on the field that day, watching him through my viewfinder was a pleasure.
“He and I battled together and along the way we talked about dreaming that it could end the way it ended”. I will forever cherish the 10 years I had with Peyton. “I think we all knew, just making it official is now the icing on the cake”, said Rick Velliquette.
The five-time MVP is one of only two quarterbacks to beat every team in the NFL (Brett Favre is the other). He was more than a teammate-He was like a brother.
Manning will go down as one of the best quarterbacks to ever play in the NFL.
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Most of what I’ve seen recently has had four quarterbacks in the conversation.
