INDIANAPOLIS – The most influential player in Colts' history has played his last NFL game.
Peyton Manning will announce his retirement from the NFL on Monday, closing the book on an 18-year NFL career highlighted by five MVPs and two Super Bowl championships.
When Manning was on the cusp of another Super Bowl earlier this year, Colts Owner Jim Irsay touched on the impact No. 18 had on his franchise.
"He literally transforms your organization," Irsay said. "Peyton is just the quintessential individual. On the field, he's all about winning and winning the right way. And off the field, he cares so much and takes so much time just to help the community and everybody knows what he's done here in Indianapolis. The Children's Hospital is just one example of so many things he's been involved with here.
"One of the greats of all time. I just run out of superlatives to heap on him because, honestly, he is everything that you look for in a football player and an individual."
There's a reason, back in 1998, Irsay personally handed the team's draft card to NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue.
From 1984-1997, the Colts' tenure in Indianapolis prior to Manning's arrival, the team had 16 different starting quarterbacks.
They had just one for the next 13 years.
In Manning's 13 playing seasons with the Colts, he was a seven-time first-team All-Pro and led the Colts to eight division championships.
That just begins the seemingly never-ending list of club and NFL records:
- Most career passing yards in NFL history (71,940).
- Most career passing touchdowns in league history (539).
- Most passing yards in a single season (5,477)
- Most touchdowns in a single season (55).
- Tied for the most regular season wins by a quarterback (186).
- Manning started the first 208 career games of his career, an NFL record for any position.
Ask his father, Archie, for Peyton's greatest moment in Indy and he points to Peyton Manning Children's Hospital.
The pinnacle of Manning's time on the field in Indianapolis came in 2006, when he led the Colts to their first Super Bowl title in 36 years.
In the driving rain of Miami, Manning and Irsay took their turn hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.
"When a 37-year old owner met a 22-year old player coming out of Tennessee, the dreams we had and the experiences are beyond my imagination," Irsay said.
"There will be no other Peyton Manning."
