The curtain has closed on Peyton Manning, he just doesn’t know it yet.
The 39-year-old is reportedly contemplating retirement, a move most believed was a forgone conclusion as the confetti bathed the champion on Feb. 7 in Santa Clara. It was a gift from the football gods, with Manning winning his second championship to close out a first-ballot Hall of Fame career.
For Manning, the choice is painfully simple form the outside perspective. He has battled for 18 years in the arena and won a record-five Most Valuable Player awards. He’s a two-time champion, 10-time All-Pro and 14-time Pro Bowler. You could play Madden on rookie level for 20 years and would hard-pressed to come up with those credentials.
From Manning’s mind, the choice has to be painstaking. Think about the pastime you enjoy the most in your life, and then be told you can never do it again. Retirement for the former University of Tennessee star isn’t about money, it’s about being told you are no longer good enough. It’s about accepting that you can no longer enjoy the best parts of your life outside of fatherhood.
There is a famous quote that states an athlete dies twice. For Manning, this is death staring him in the face.
No. 18 has given the game everything he has, in some cases literally. The Louisiana native endured four neck surgeries in 2011 just to get back on the field for four more seasons with the Denver Broncos, after spending the first 14 with the Indianapolis Colts. Manning has also revealed that he will need hip replacement surgery as he grows older.
His body is breaking down, a cruel reminder that Father Time is no longer chasing Manning, but grabbing on and dragging him down. Manning was benched for the first time in his career this season, watching Brock Osweiler start the final seven games of the season. Manning got his job back, did just enough not to derail Denver’s epic defense, and earned another Lombardi Trophy.
Should he come back for a 19th season, it will be ugly. We will be reminded of Joe Namath with the Los Angeles Rams in 1977, ambling around on horrific knees. We will conjure up images of Emmitt Smith with the Arizona Cardinals and Jerry Rice wearing a Seattle Seahawks uniform. It looked wrong, and it was sad to see an all-time great struggle to the finish line.
While playing another year for the Rams or Houston Texans might seem appealing, Manning has to do what’s best for both himself and the game. It’s time to move on. Last year, Manning completed less than 60 percent of his throws and tossed nine touchdowns against 17 interceptions.
At this point, he realizes going to a contender is a pipe dream. The Broncos have to move on, to both save $19 million and keep Osweiler in the fold. The National Football League is a cold business, something Manning is finding out with each passing second.
Saying goodbye is the hardest thing an athlete can do. It’s time for Manning to swallow hard and take the podium.