I honestly haven't had too much time to think about Peyton retiring. I did pretty much feel this was going to happen ever since he got his job back in Week 16, and the Super Bowl run only re-inforced that. I readied myself to some degree, but I still don't know exactly how I am feeling now, how I will feel when he has his 'Colts' retirement, and how I will feel next September when he is not there.
I saw the news when I woke up in a daze during a weekend with friends in Austin. I missed the press conference as I was busy at work. I think nothing shows his career more than I started following him when I was in 6th grade, and when he finally retired, I couldn't watch my favorite athlete's retirement press conference because I had actual adult responsibilities.
Peyton Manning goes out a Champion, twice over. I could care less about the number of RINGZZ a player has when judging them historically, but even to me I feel good knowing he got a chance to lift that trophy again. Peyton Manning also goes out with a great end to a dreadful season. I understand why he came back for 2015, and obviously in the end it was the right call, but more than a 2nd ring, I'm thankful his career didn't end with a 4 interception performance against the Chiefs.
Peyton Manning has meant more to me than any athlete I've followed - and given how one's interest in sports tends to fade as you get older, he will likely hold that place forever. And he should. I've never invested more time and energy into any one player like I did with Peyton. I think I've written more about him, whether here or on Social Media, or even dating back a few years to my time on Colts-specific blogs, than I did on the other list of my favorite athletes combined.
Peyton Manning taught me a lot about sports and football; through him I learned more about the game than I can possibly imagine. But he gave me so many other gifts as well. He taught me a lot of life lessons that I plan to detail in a separate post. Through my interest in him and the Colts, he gave me a whole on-line community to interact with, first in blog-form at the Colts SB Nation site Stampede Blue, and my personal favorite sports blog, 18to88.com. I've become online friends with a decent amount of that little crazy community.
Peyton gave me, more than anything else, a lot of joy. The blogger of 18to88, Nate Dunlevy once said a truly profound statement, probably in response to another person mentioning the 'playoff failures' of Manning, that the job of any football team and / or player is to give the fan a Happy Sunday. For year after year, Peyton gave us all 10-14 Happy Sundays. There were some bad ones, some infamous ones, but 75% of the time, they were happy.
Peyton Manning is the best QB I ever saw play. He will also hold that title for a long time. If his retirement does anything, it know makes Peyton a player I can remember fondly as a part of the past rather than obsess over constantly as a part of my present. I can watch those old games, the classic Manning performances and look back on what he once was at his peak.
I will have more Peyton Manning-related posts in the next few weeks, a few that were already in the works, and maybe a few more that were written years ago - mostly when he left the Colts - updated with some new information and feelings gathered over his Denver coda. To end this, I want to leave this with the transcript of his heartfelt, touching and deeply personal goodbye:
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"In my very first NFL game, I completed my first pass to Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk. I threw a touchdown in that same game to Marvin Harrison, who would be inducted into the Hall of Fame this August.
The quarterback for our opponent, the Miami Dolphins, was, after
my dad, my favorite player -- Hall of Famer Dan Marino, who on the first third
down of the game completed a 25-yard skinny post. And it was the damndest throw
I’d ever seen.
Later, I completed a pass to tight end Marcus Pollard down the
middle and somebody hit me really hard and after I got up I told myself, “I
know I can play in this league.”
Later in that struggling season, we played in and lost to
Baltimore. It was the first time that the Colts had returned to Baltimore since
they had moved back in 1984. We didn’t exactly get a warm reception that day.
The fans were screaming at me and I kept thinking, “Hey, I was only 8 years old
then, get off of my back.”
I had met him once before but when the game was over I had the
chance to shake Johnny Unitas’ hand. He told me, “Peyton, you stay at it. I’m
pulling for you.”
Well, I have stayed at it. I’ve stayed at it for 18 years and I
hope that old No. 19 is up there with his flat top and maybe his black high
tops on and I hope he knows that I have stayed at it and maybe he’s even a
little proud of me.
There is just something about 18 years. Eighteen is a good
number and today I retire from pro football.
I want to thank the people of New Orleans and south Louisiana.
New Orleans is my hometown and of course they support their own team, the
Saints, but they also support their own and that city and state have backed me
from the start.
Almost 19 years ago to the day, I announced my decision to forgo
the draft and stay at the University of Tennessee for my senior year. It was
one of the smartest decisions I’ve ever made. I cherished my time in Knoxville,
especially my senior year. And I want Vols fans everywhere to know the unique
role that you’ve played in my life.
Thank you to the Indianapolis Colts organization and all the
fans across this country. You can’t fathom how much I enjoyed my 14 years there
or the warmth that my family feels for you. I’d be wrong not to mention Jim
Irsay, Bill Polian, some great coaches, support staff and a host of wonderful
Colts teammates, many of whom will be lifelong friends.
When I was drafted by the Colts, Indianapolis was a basketball
and a car racing town but it didn’t take long for the Colts to convert the city
and state of Indiana into football evangelists.
We ended my rookie season 3-13 and in the process I set the NFL
rookie record for interceptions, a record that I still hold today. Every year I
pull for a rookie quarterback to break that record. Andrew Luck, Matthew Stafford,
Eli Manning, Cam Newton. I still kid Eli that he would have broken it if he
would have started all 16 games.
In the beginning of my time in Indy, the team’s struggles were
agonizing. My grandfather would call me weekly to ask if his favorite announcers
John Madden and Pat Summerall would be broadcasting our game. "Paw Paw,”
I’d say, “we’re only 2-8 right now. We’re playing the 3-7 Bengals. Madden and
Summerall don’t broadcast those kinds of games.”
Fast-forward to my second year when we had gotten things going a
little bit. We were playing the Dallas Cowboys and Troy Aikman and Emmitt
Smith, Michael Irvin and Deion Sanders. I called Paw Paw: “Guess what, Madden
and Summerall are broadcasting the game.” He said, “I can’t believe it.”
He was elated and he was very proud and we beat the Cowboys that
week and we let the world know that the Colts had arrived. Make no mistake
about it, we were coming and we went on to do some phenomenal things like
winning at least 12 games seven years in a row and of course winning Super Bowl
XLI. And I was truly honored and proud to be a part of it.
There’s a saying that goes, treat a man as he is and he will
remain as he is. Treat a man as he could be and he will become what he should
be.
When I visited Denver four years ago, if John Elway had sat me
down and said, “Peyton, here’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to win over
50 games, win four straight division championships, lose only three division
games in four years and none will be on the road, we’ll beat the Patriots in
two championship games and you’re going to win NFL Comeback Player of the Year,
another MVP, your offense will set single-season passing records, you’ll break
a couple more all-time records, and we’ll go to a couple of Super Bowls.” I
think I would have taken that deal.
John, you did tell me that, didn’t you?
Grateful is the word that comes to my mind when thinking of the
Denver Broncos. I want to thank Pat Bowlen and his family, Joe Ellis, John
Elway, John Fox, Gary Kubiak and their staffs and all the support people in
this great organization.
To all of my Denver teammates, thank you for what you’ve done
for this old quarterback. And of course my gratitude to the Broncos fans
everywhere.
Over my NFL career, I’ve had five head coaches who have helped
me become better at my craft and have helped me become a better human being:
Jim Mora, Tony Dungy, Jim Caldwell, John Fox, Gary Kubiak.
While I’ve obviously changed teams, I’ve had the same football
representation for almost two decades. I owe Tom Condon many thanks. He has
represented me with class at every juncture and he’ll always be a great friend.
I want to thank a tremendous group of friends who have supported
my football career and been at my side at games from high school to Tennessee,
Indy and through that incredible Broncos’ Super Bowl win last month. You know
who you are and what you mean to me.
There is no way to measure or properly express what a family
like mine can mean. Mom, Dad, Cooper, Eli, extended family, you are the best.
Ashley, your support is as potent a motivator as any man can have.
Ashley's and my kids, Marshall and Mosley, have only been around
for a couple of years but they have changed my life forever. A week before the
Super Bowl our daughter Mosley asked me, “Daddy, is this the last game?”
“Yes, Mosley, it’s the last game of the season.”
“I sure do want you to win that trophy.”
“I do, too, Mosley. And that’s what we’re going to try to do.”
Then she asked, “Daddy, is this the last game ever?” And that’s
just when I shook my head in amazement because I was thinking, “Mort and Adam
Schefter had gotten to my 5-year-old daughter to cultivate a new source.”
When someone thoroughly exhausts an experience they can’t help
but revere it. I revere football. I love the game. So you don’t have to wonder
if I’ll miss it. Absolutely. Absolutely I will. Our children are small now, but
as they grow up, we’re going to teach them to enjoy the little things in life
because one day they will look back and discover that those really were the big
things.
So here are the seemingly little things that when I look into my
rearview mirror, have grown much bigger.
I’m going to miss a steak dinner at St. Elmo's in Indianapolis
after a win. My battles with players named Lynch, Lewis, Thomas, Bruschi,
Fletcher, Dawkins, Seau, Urlacher, Polamalu, Harrison, Woodson and Reed. And
with coaches like Fisher, Ryan, Belichick, Kiffin, Phillips, Rivera, LeBeau,
Crennel, Capers, Lewis, the late Jim Johnson, and so many more. I always felt
like I was playing against that middle linebacker or that safety or that
defensive coach.
I’ll miss figuring out blitzes with Jeff Saturday. Reggie
sitting on top of the bench next to me. Perfecting a fake handoff to Edgerrin
James. I’ll miss Demaryius Thomas telling me that he loved me and thanking me
for coming to Denver after every touchdown I threw to him.
I’ll miss putting in a play with Tom Moore and Adam Gase that
ends in a touchdown on Sunday. On Fridays I’ll miss picking out the game balls
with my equipment guys. Talking football with the broadcast crews and
afterwards I’ll miss recapping the game with my dad. And checking to see if the
Giants won and calling Eli as we’re both on our team buses.
I’ll miss that handshake with Tom Brady and I’ll miss the plane
rides after a big win with 53 teammates standing in the aisles laughing and
celebrating during the whole flight. I’ll miss playing in front of so many
great fans both at home and on the road. I’ll even miss the Patriots fans in
Foxborough, and they should miss me because they sure did get a lot of wins off
of me.
And this is important, football fans everywhere need to know how
much they mean to me over the years. Fans, you’re at the core of what makes
this game remarkable. I’ve received more letters from you than I can count. Fan
letters that have touched me, made me think, laugh and moved me to act.
I’ve learned a lot through my mistakes, stumbles and losses in
football. I’ve also learned this game is a mighty platform that has given me a
voice that can echo well beyond the game. Football has taught me not to be led
by obstructions and setbacks but instead to be led by dreams. Due to some good
genes, I’m smart enough to know that those lessons can enrich who I am and
where I go from here.
I’m totally convinced that the end of my football career is just
the beginning of something I haven’t even discovered yet. Life is not shrinking
for me, it’s morphing into a whole new world of possibilities.
Pundits will speculate that my effort and drive over the past 18
years were about mastery and working to master every aspect of the NFL game.
Well, don’t believe them. Because every moment, every drop of sweat, every
bleary-eyed night of preparation, every note I took and every frame of film I
watched was about one thing, reverence for this game.
When I look back on my NFL career, I’ll know without a doubt
that I gave everything I had to help my teams walk away with a win. There were
other players who were more talented but there was no one could out-prepare me
and because of that I have no regrets.
There’s a scripture reading, 2 Timothy 4:7: I have fought the
good fight and I have finished the race. I have kept the faith.
Well, I’ve fought a
good fight. I’ve finished my football race and after 18 years, it’s time. God
bless all of you and God bless football."