Tiger Woods took to Twitter on Monday afternoon to celebrate Peyton Manning’s career, after the Denver Broncos quarterback officially announced his retirement.
Advertisement
Then it was Manning’s turn at the podium, where he spent 32 minutes emotionally thanking the many coaches, teammates, fan bases and rivals he’s encountered over a career that sees him leave with two Super Bowl titles (won with two organizations, a first), a record five MVPs and records for passing touchdowns and yards over a season and a career.
Manning’s retirement was announced by his team, the Denver Broncos, on Sunday, four weeks on from the second Super Bowl win of his career. “There’s not a guy in the National Football League who can walk away and say, ‘I have done everything that can possibly be done at quarterback.’ Peyton can do that”.
All of the responses and conversations “kind of helped me through the last day and a-half”, Manning said.
“I’ll miss figuring out blitzes with Jeff Saturday, Reggie (Wayne) sitting on top of the bench next to me and perfecting a fake handoff to Edgerrin James”, Manning said. It wasn’t until 2007 that he won a coveted Super Bowl championship with the Colts, defeating the Chicago Bears 29-17.
Manning said football “is a mighty platform that has given me a voice, like an echo that can go well beyond the game”.
Manning came to Denver on March 20, 2012, for the chance to win another title in the twilight of his career. “And I’m not interested in re-litigating something that happened when I was 19 years old”.
Manning made his first public comments since the retirement announcement at the Broncos team headquarters before an invitation-only group of teammates, family and friends.
“I’ll miss the handshakes with Tom Brady, I’ll even miss those Patriot fans in Foxborough”, said Manning, adding with a smile: “And they should miss me, they sure did get a lot of wins off me”.
During a follow up news conference, one reporter brought up allegations of sexual assault against Manning by female football trainer Jamie Ann Naughright.
“And today I retire from pro football”, Manning said in a press conference. “God bless all of you and God bless football”, Manning concluded.
I was concerned about Manning’s health the last couple of years.
Was that Peyton Manning up there retiring Monday afternoon? He has slightly fewer yards passing (although with his new extension, he may blow by Mannings’ totals).
One of the game’s most prolific passers, he was voted the NFL’s most valuable player a record five times. “People ask me if I’ll miss it. Of course I will”.
“Mom, Dad, Cooper, Eli, extended family – you are the best – and Ashley, your support is as potent a motivator as any man can have”.
“I can’t tell you how many times I said, ‘Dang, why didn’t we think of that?'”
Advertisement
Manning was the first overall pick by the Colts in the 1998 draft.
