Manning's all done
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Peyton Manning’s days of decoding defenses and recuperating in cold tubs are over.
The five-time MVP is retiring after 18 NFL seasons, dozens of passing records, five MVP trophies and two Super Bowl championships.
A month after basking in the glow of his second Lombardi Trophy and a parade through downtown Denver attended by more than a million fans, the soon-to-be 40-year-old quarterback called one last audible and told Broncos boss John Elway he’s retiring.
The tributes came pouring in when word got out Sunday that Manning was calling it a career.
Tom Brady tweeted his congratulations to Manning, telling his rival, “You changed the game forever and made everyone around you better.”
Could there be a higher compliment?
Manning’s college coach, Phillip Fulmer, called it “almost magical” what Manning was able to accomplish in his four years in Denver following neck fusion surgery that threatened to short-circuit his career.
Instead, Manning went 50-15 in Denver, winning his fifth MVP award, surpassing Brett Favre’s records for career yards, touchdowns and victories while leading the Broncos to two Super Bowls.
“I’ve said this a lot of times to people, he didn’t get better each game. He got better every meeting, every practice, every period in practice,” Fulmer said. “He was the most incredible player that I’ve ever seen of taking it from the film room to the practice field and then from the practice field to the game.”
The knock on Manning was that he didn’t win more Super Bowls. For a guy with such a great regular season record (186-79), his playoff mark of just 14-13 paled in comparison.
“People don’t realize, it’s hard to always be the best player,” Fulmer argued. “For almost all his years, he had to be the best player. At Indianapolis, he never had a great defense around him. In my opinion, if he had been on teams like this last Broncos team — a team not even as good on defense — the guy might have six or seven Super Bowls.”
Commissioner Roger Goodell called Manning “a great representative of the NFL both on the field and in his community,” adding, “We are forever grateful for Peyton’s unmatched contributions to the game and know his success will continue in the next phase of his life.”
No one’s sure what that will be.
Less than 24 hours before informing the Broncos of his decision to retire, Manning said during an appearance Friday night in Florida that he had no idea what he’ll do in retirement.
There are plenty of possibilities — and advice — to stay in football, from the broadcast booth to the front office.
Some believe he’ll eventually be an NFL owner.
ESPN, FOX, NBC and CBS all said they would love to talk to him if he decides to go into broadcasting.
Just shy of 40, Manning will forgo $19 million and a 19th season in the NFL, where he served as both a throwback and a transformer during a glittering career bookmarked by an unprecedented five MVP awards and dozens of passing records.
