Colts owner Jim Irsay announces team will retire No. 18, build Peyton statue
Manning will be the eighth player to have his jersey retired by the Colts.
Last week, Peyton Manning announced his retirement from the NFL. He did it at a press conference in Denver, where he played the final four years of his career. On Friday, Peyton was part of another press conference, this time in Indianapolis, where he spent the first 14 years of his career playing for the Colts.
The presser brought with it two major announcements from Colts owner Jim Irsay:
- The Colts will build a statue of Manning outside Lucas Oil Stadium.
- The Colts will retire Peyton's No. 18 jersey, with no Colt ever wearing the number again.
Irsay kicked things off with a winding introduction (seriously it went on forever) before eventually revealing those two announcements. Here are some of the highlights:
Everything ready to go here at the Colts Complex as Peyton Manning is set to talk alongside Jim Irsay. pic.twitter.com/cVgbEh5BiX
— Mike Berman (@MikeBermanIndy) March 18, 2016
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) March 18, 2016
Let it begin pic.twitter.com/x6jYSRrMXi
— Kevin Bowen (@KBowenColts) March 18, 2016
Irsay: "It was always strange out there watching 18 without the horseshoe. I feel like I speak for Colts fans, he's always ours."
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) March 18, 2016
Big from Irsay: The Surf Club is now a Four Seasons.
— Conor Orr (@ConorOrr) March 18, 2016
Irsay: "I just can't say enough about how much he means to this city and this state. You just run out of words."
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) March 18, 2016
Irsay says the Colts will be erecting a statue in front of Lucas Oil Stadium of Peyton Manning.
— Kevin Bowen (@KBowenColts) March 18, 2016
Irsay: "A place for people to leave cans of Budweiser" as a tribute. How fitting. haha
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) March 18, 2016
What do you think #ColtsNation? #ThankYouPeyton pic.twitter.com/9s5wViQRO2
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) March 18, 2016
Jim Irsay is also making a declaration, which has the word 'whereas' in it at least 13 times.
— Conor Orr (@ConorOrr) March 18, 2016
No future Colt will ever wear the number 18. Peyton Manning's Indianapolis Colts jersey is officially retired. pic.twitter.com/z893Fsb4eg
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) March 18, 2016
Manning's jersey will be the eighth retired by the Colts. The others: Johnny Unitas (19); Buddy Young (22); Lenny Moore (24); Art Donovan (70); Jim Parker (77); Raymond Berry (82); and Gino Marchetti (89).
After that final announcment, Irsay yielded the stage to Manning.
Peyton's opening remarks pic.twitter.com/8DXqBJ7Pd9
— Kevin Bowen (@KBowenColts) March 18, 2016
Peyton with a @mchappell51 joke: same mullet as he has now when he was drafted. Classic. The Dean.
— Steve Andress (@ColtsReporter) March 18, 2016
Peyton talking about spending days in Signature Inn on 38th street with Tom Moore and Bruce Arians, learning the Colts’ playbook.
— Kevin Bowen (@KBowenColts) March 18, 2016
Manning reminisced for a while about his time in Indianapolis, telling stories that spanned from his first days with the team until he left. He name-dropped almost every player that suited up with him, telling stories about each of them with a preposterous level of detail given that many of them happened over a decade ago.
Peyton's recall is ridiculous. Which you already knew.
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) March 18, 2016
Peyton telling stories. Has the room in constant laughter.
— Kevin Bowen (@KBowenColts) March 18, 2016
He mentioned the first pass of his preseason career, a 5-yard completion to Marvin Harrison, who took it the rest of the way for a 48-yard touchdown. He said that he completed six more passes in that game, two of them to the other team.
Manning on his first-ever preseason pass in the NFL, a 48-yard touchdown to Marvin Harrison: "This NFL is easy."
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) March 18, 2016
Peyton getting choked up talking about the fans and their support during the AFC Title game in the 2006 season.
— Kevin Bowen (@KBowenColts) March 18, 2016
Manning: "I remember the old RCA Dome and how loud it used to be." That place got soooooo loud.
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) March 18, 2016
Peyton Manning was allowed to smoke near live jet engine fuel after games. This guy...this guy is alright.
— Conor Orr (@ConorOrr) March 18, 2016
Manning told a story about a preseason game that saw him refuse to throw the ball to the end zone on what should have been the last play of the half, instead running for nine yards to set up a field goal ... a field goal that fell short and was returned 109 yards for a touchdown by Aaron Glenn.
Manning also talked about the Jim Mora "playoffs" press conference. He recalled center Jeff Saturday getting sick before a preseason game in Mexico City, which led Manning to ask if they could run more shotgun during the game. He mentioned that he and a few other players would smoke a cigar right near the team plane after every road game. And more.
As far as his future plans go, Manning simply said that he doesn't want to rush into anything and has not made a decision yet, beyond going to a few more Giants games to watch his brother Eli play. Oh, and that he won't be running for president of the United States.
What do you think #ColtsNation? #ThankYouPeyton pic.twitter.com/9s5wViQRO2
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) March 18, 2016
















