According to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, Peyton Manning will officially announce his retirement at a Broncos press conference tomorrow morning.
This news comes after Manning’s resilient Denver Broncos claimed the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl 50 thanks to a dominant defensive performance, making Manning the first-ever starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl with two different teams. Many around the league suspected that, especially if Manning was able to win the big game, he would call it quits after this past season–his 18th as a pro–and it appears that those hunches were correct.
Aside from leaving “on top,” Manning’s career numbers will likely be bested by few. Despite widespread belief that the tenured quarterback was past his prime when he left the Colts for the Broncos in 2013, during a record-setting 2013-2014 season, Manning broke the single-season record for passing yards and touchdowns, but was blown out of Super Bowl 48 by a ravenous Seattle Seahawks team. Following that season, Manning’s ability to throw the ball appeared to decline, but he continued to be effective, and led the Broncos to the playoffs each year, despite conceding his starting spot this season to a largely unproven Brock Osweiler after a horrid start to the season.
No one in NFL history has thrown for more yards, or more passing touchdowns than Manning, and in a few years, there will be little debate as to whether or not he’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
