Peyton Manning has been enjoying the retired life since he walked away from the NFL five years ago, but there is plenty he misses about playing. The camaraderie is at the top of that list.
Manning reflected on his Hall of Fame career a bit during an appearance on “Good Morning America” this week. The two-time Super Bowl champion said he thinks about the time he enjoyed with his teammates more than the wins.
“There’s the old saying, enjoy the journey not the destination,” Manning said. “And when I think back on my memories during my 18 years of playing, I think about those plane rides with my teammates, I think about hanging around the locker room, laughing with each other, I think about taking the offensive linemen out to eat on Thursday nights, keeping them well-fed, maybe having a couple of cold beverages and that was well worth it.”
Manning called those memories some of the “greatest takeaways” from his career. He said he does not second guess his decision to retire after the Denver Broncos won the Super Bowl in 2016, but he does miss the locker room dynamic.
“I have no regrets. I left it all out there on the field,” Manning said. “But I do miss my teammates.”
Anyone who watched Manning in his final season in Denver knows he made the right decision. His arm strength had clearly diminished, so it wasn’t like he walked away in his prime. While he has continued his friendly rivalry with Tom Brady even in retirement, there was never really a chance Manning could play as long as Brady has.
