Peyton Manning NFL Career Overview
Peyton Manning played for two teams during his 18-year NFL career, spending 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four seasons with the Denver Broncos. He was selected first overall in the 1998 NFL Draft by the Colts and became the franchise's all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns before leaving as a free agent in 2012. Manning's move to Denver in 2012 was widely covered by sports business outlets and helped reshape the Broncos' salary cap and roster strategy, as detailed by Forbes in its analysis of Manning's contract impact on team valuation and cap management Denver Broncos contract details.
During his time with the Colts, Manning led the team to a Super Bowl XLI victory in February 2007 and earned four NFL MVP awards, the most by any player in league history. His tenure with the Broncos culminated in a Super Bowl 50 win in February 2016, where he became the oldest quarterback to both start and win a Super Bowl at age 39. Manning's combined regular-season and postseason passing statistics rank among the top in NFL history, and his career earnings from contracts, bonuses, and endorsements exceeded $250 million, according to public salary data reported by Spotrac Peyton Manning contract and earnings data.
Indianapolis Colts Era
Manning joined the Colts in 1998 and immediately transformed the franchise, leading Indianapolis to the Super Bowl XLI title and a 12-4 regular-season record in the 2006 campaign. He set single-season passing records for the Colts and helped the team build a consistent playoff contender around his leadership and the offensive system coordinated by former coach Tony Dungy Peyton Manning NFL stats page.
The Colts released Manning in March 2012 after a neck injury caused him to miss the entire 2011 season, a decision that triggered significant financial and roster adjustments for Indianapolis. The team used the resulting cap space to draft Andrew Luck first overall in 2012 and restructure its quarterback position, while Manning's departure was analyzed by ESPN as a pivotal moment in NFL free-agency strategy and franchise-building timelines ESPN analysis of Manning's Colts release.
Denver Broncos Era
Manning signed with the Broncos in March 2012 on a five-year contract worth up to $96 million, with approximately $52 million guaranteed at signing, making it one of the largest guaranteed deals in NFL history at the time. He led Denver to a 13-3 record in 2013, a Super Bowl 50 victory in February 2016, and multiple AFC West division titles while working with head coach John Fox and offensive coordinator Adam Gase ESPN Broncos contract details.
Manning retired in March 2016 after the Broncos' Super Bowl 50 win, finishing his career with 71,940 passing yards and 539 touchdown passes, both records at the