A stomach bug kept New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning from appearing in Denver for Peyton Manning's retirement announcement Monday, but that didn't stop him from honoring his big brother's legacy.
Peyton Manning announced his retirement Monday after a prolific 18-year career in the NFL, exactly one month after winning the Super Bowl with the Denver Broncos.
In a four-minute tribute video called "Brother," Eli Manning and ESPN reporter Tom Rinaldi teamed up to honor Peyton Manning.
In the clip, footage of the quarterback's childhood -- starting with a 3-year-old Peyton Manning playing the game -- is interspersed with photos of the Manning family and some of Peyton Manning's career highlights.
"As he leaves the field for the final time, it's not for me to say what Peyton's legacy is, or where his career stands, or what it all means," Eli Manning says in the video. "I know what he means to me, and I have a strong feeling I know where he's going sometime in the future... It's to Ohio, in a shrine in Canton (home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame). There, a new family in gold jackets will be waiting for him. Until then, brother, thanks for what you gave to the game."
In an interview posted on the Giants' official website, Eli Manning remembered the influence his older brother had on his own career and the game in general. He said he learned of his brother's impending retirement through a text message from Peyton Manning sent late last week.
"I'll definitely miss him playing football," he said. "I'll miss getting home after a one o'clock game and watching his afternoon game on TV with friends and family... But I am happy for him.
"I am happy, obviously, for him winning a championship and getting to go out being happy about how the last season ended. You don't get to have those feelings very often, to end your football career on a positive note... I am happy that he was able to kind of go out on his own terms."
