Peyton Manning retires, highlights career

Sports

Peyton Manning retires, highlights career

Peyton Manning retires after an 18-year NFL career that includes a number of highlights.

With his voice quivering and at times sounding near tears, Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning announced his retirement from professional football, in Englewood, Colo., Monday, March 7, 2016. Manning finished a record-breaking 18 year career by leading the Broncos to the team's Super Bowl 50 victory over the Carolina Panthers.

Peyton Manning closes his retirement news conference in fitting fashion by simply saying, "Omaha." (Omaha was a signal call, Manning made popular in his final years when calling for play shifts from the line of scrimmage.)

Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning holds his 5-year-old daughter Mosley, while Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas holds Manning's son, Marshall, after Manning announced his retirement at team headquarters Monday, March 7, 2016, in Englewood, Colo.

"When I look back on my NFL career I'll know without a doubt that I gave everything I had to help my team walk away with a win," said Petyon Manning during his retirement announcement Monday in Englewood, Colo. "There were other players more talented, but there was no one who could outprepare me. And because of that I have no regrets."

Peyton Manning's 18-year NFL career includes a number of highlights:

The Indianapolis Colts select Peyton Manning with the first overall pick in the 1998 NFL draft. In his first season, the future Hall of Famer led the league in interceptions and the Colts to a 3-13 record.

Peyton Manning threw for more than 4,000 yards at least 14 times in his 18 seasons. He holds the record for most passing yards (71,940).

On Oct. 19, 2014, Manning's receivers played keep-away with his milestone memento after he broke Brett Favre's record with his 509th career TD throw, an 8-yard strike to receiver Demaryius Thomas. Manning would finish his career with 539 TD passes.

Peyton Manning went to his first Pro Bowl in his second year with the Indianapolis Colts. Since then, he has been voted in every year, except for 2011 when he was out with an injury.

Some of Manning's biggest moments came in 30-second spots outside the lines. Although he said he had to cut short his post-Super Bowl interview to go kiss his wife, his first smooch actually went to John Schnatter, founder and CEO of Papa John's, one of his biggest business partners. Manning reached super status as a product pitchman long ago for MasterCard with his role-reversal commercials where he encouraged the butcher to ''Cut that meat!'' Today, that Nationwide Insurance jingle is stuck in all of our heads.

It took six seasons for Peyton Manning to win his first playoff game - in 2004. Manning had nine "one-and-done" games in the postseason, more than any quarterback.

Peyton Manning had one of the greatest postseason rivalries in the NFL against Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. It began with a blowout, as Brady led New England past Manning in his first professional start. Manning's three trips to the Super Bowl came with wins over Brady in the AFC championship game.

Peyton Manning landed his first MVP award in 2003 after leading the league in passing yards and completion percentage. It would be the first of five MVP awards (2004, 2008, 2009 and 2013) for the star quarterback.

Peyton Manning led the Colts to a 29-17 victory over the Chicago Bears under in rainy conditions to capture his first Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl XLI. He was named game MVP after completing 25 of 38 passes for 247 yards and a touchdown.

Peyton Manning is one of three Mannings to play quarterback in the NFL. Brother Eli (left) has won two Super Bowls with the New York Giants; his father, Archie, played more than a decade with the New Orleans Saints, Houston Oilers and Minnesota Vikings. The three, along with another brother, Cooper, run the Manning Passing Academy each summer for high school and college quarterbacks.

In 2011, Peyton Manning's streak of 208 consecutive starts (227 including playoffs) is snapped when he doesn't play a down all season after offseason neck surgery.

Peyton Manning and Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay hold a press conference on March 2012 announcing that after 14 seasons, the Colts would release. Indianapolis draft quarterback Andrew Luck as the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.

On Sept. 5, 2013, Manning had the biggest day by an NFL QB in 44 years, throwing seven touchdown passes in directing Denver's 49-27 rout of the Baltimore Ravens, who had upset Denver in double overtime in the playoffs seven months earlier. His seven TD throws and 462 yards - with no interceptions - against the defending Super Bowl champs kick-started a record-breaking season in which he'd throw for 55 touchdowns and 5,477 yards and lead Denver to its first Super Bowl appearance in 15 years.

Peyton Manning had just 13 completions for 141 yards in Denver's 24-10 win over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50 on Feb. 7, 2016. Thanks to a defense led by game MVP Von Miller, Manning became the oldest QB to win a championship, a year older than his boss John Elway was when he won his second Super Bowl in 1999 before walking away.

1/19

With his voice quivering and at times sounding near tears, Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning announced his retirement from professional football, in Englewood, Colo., Monday, March 7, 2016. Manning finished a record-breaking 18 year career by leading the Broncos to the team's Super Bowl 50 victory over the Carolina Panthers.

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