INDIANAPOLIS -- The Colts put quarterback Peyton Manning into their Ring of Honor and officially retired his No. 18 jersey during halftime of Sunday's game against the San Francisco 49ers.
"It's been not a very good-kept secret around here, but no one is ever going to wear this jersey again," owner Jim Irsay said. "Ever, ever."
The jersey retirement capped off a weekend in which the Colts honored Manning for his 14 years with the franchise. The team unveiled a statue outside Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday during festivities that had many of Manning's former teammates, including Reggie Wayne, Jeff Saturday, Marvin Harrison and Edgerrin James, in attendance.
Manning joins 12 other former Colts, including Tony Dungy, Bill Polian and Marshall Faulk, in the team's Ring of Honor.
The No. 1 overall pick in 1998, Manning led the Colts to the playoffs 11 times, to at least 12 regular-season wins eight times and to the Super Bowl twice while winning five MVP awards. He is a presumed first-ballot Hall of Famer, becoming eligible in the 2020 season.
The Colts released Manning in the spring of 2012 after he missed the entire 2011 season with a neck injury. He signed with the Denver Broncos and won his second Super Bowl with them after the 2015 season, which was his 18th and final NFL campaign.
"I'm here today because of a bunch of coaches and teammates I came across here almost 20 years ago to try to win a lot of football games," Manning said. "We accomplished those goals."
Irsay surprised the Lucas Oil Stadium crowd when he had Saturday snap the ball to Manning, who threw a touchdown pass to Wayne at the conclusion of the ceremony.
