A video tribute was played in honor of Peyton Manning as the Denver Broncos walked onto the field Sunday evening to play the Indianapolis Colts.
Jim Irsay, coach of the Colts, guaranteed a “great tribute” for his former quarterback earlier this week, according to NBC Sports.
The honor extended to Manning follows news of some controversial comments made by Irsay on October 7 about the changing philosophy of the Colts in an effort to win more Super Bowls, ESPN reports. Many thought his comments reflected a lack of appreciation for all that Manning contributed to the Colts organization.
Irsay says that the comments he made were misrepresented and misunderstood. In anticipation of Sunday’s game between the Broncos and the Colts he stated, “I think it’s great because the Broncos and Colts are flourishing. That was the plan. We wanted Peyton to have a chance to win another Super Bowl. We have a chance to honor him like we did other players that came back. He’s one of the greatest players. In the end you look for a great football game, and that’s what you hope for.”
The video tribute played while Manning was warming up and included several highlights from the Colts’ Super Bowl win against the Chicago Bears. According to SB Nation, Manning removed his helmet to wave and thank the crowd when the video was over.
Manning and the Broncos lost 33-39 to the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday night.
Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
