Sports

Peyton Manning Will Reportedly Retire 'By The End Of This Week'

The Denver Post reports Manning is expected to retire and likely won't return to play for another team.

Peyton Manning Will Reportedly Retire 'By The End Of This Week'
Getty Images / Ezra Shaw
SMS

After 18 seasons and two Super Bowl titles, Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning is reportedly retiring. 

The Denver Post's Woody Paige reports "in all probability" Manning will retire this offseason with an official announcement expected "by the end of this week." 

The Post says it's unlikely Manning will retire from the Broncos and sign with another team, so this would seem to be the end of Manning's playing career. 

Shortly after the Post's report broke, Broncos' public relations VP Patrick Smyth said Manning hadn't informed the team about retiring and still planned to hold talks with the team this week.

Manning's retirement wouldn't exactly come as a shock. The soon-to-be 40-year-old is the oldest quarterback ever to start a Super Bowl.

And after the Broncos knocked off the Patriots in the AFC title game, on-field cameras caught Manning telling Pats coach Bill Belichick "this might be my last rodeo."

If the Post's report is true, Manning will exit as the NFL's all-time leader in passing yards, passing touchdowns and total wins as a quarterback.

But Manning's postseason legacy has always been a point of criticism, which made his team's Super Bowl win that much more important. Manning now has two Super Bowl rings after Denver's victory. 

There's a reason Manning waited until after the season was over to make this decision. Manning said at Super Bowl Opening Night he didn't want a farewell tour throughout an entire season. 

And just because Manning might be retiring from playing doesn't necessarily mean he's done with football. 

There's speculation he could consider a front office job, with one report from CBS highlighting Cleveland and Tennessee as possible landing spots. 

This video includes clips from NJ.com and Nationwide and images from Getty Images.