Denver Broncos' quarterback Peyton Manning announces his retirement from American football

Following 18 seasons of football and a record-breaking career, quarterback Peyton Manning announced his retirement from the NFL on Monday, ending the press conference with the wish: "God bless all of you, and God bless football".

His voice cracking, especially when he mentioned his hero, Johnny Unitas, Manning said goodbye to the game he loved in an auditorium packed with friends, family and laughter.

Manning, who turns 40 on March 24, told the Broncos over the weekend that he had chose to retire just a month after helping the Broncos win Super Bowl 50 in Santa Clara, Calif.

"Well, I have stayed at it - I stayed at it for 18 years", Manning said. He's the all-time career leader with 71,940 passing yards and 539 touchdowns.

He also won a championship with two different franchises - the Denver Broncos and the Indianapolis Colts - giving him as many Super Bowl rings (two) as Eli has.

He was widely expected to retire after a less than average season 2015-16, where he performed below par and missed several weeks with injury. I said, 'Why are you guys acting like this?

Broncos CEO Joe Ellis added: "Our team, our organization and our community are all better because of Peyton Manning".

"I was really happy with how things went", Franklin said.

Cutcliffe shared his words of advice to Manning on Sunday in light of the retirement news.

“There were other players who were more talented, but there was no one who could out-prepare me, and because of that, I have no regrets.

I know some people, while splitting hairs in the Greatest Quarterback of All Time Debate, will say Montana was merely a product of the Bill Walsh system. A series of neck surgeries led to his departure to Denver, where Manning reached the Super Bowl twice in four seasons.

Manning said he looked forward to the next chapter in his life, although he didn't specify what he might do.

Missy Franklin was at the Super Bowl cheering for her beloved Broncos last month, and the Olympic champion stood with the rest of Broncos Country Monday in her admiration for Peyton Manning on the day of his retirement announcement. "I did not do what has been alleged, and I'm not interested in re-ligitating something that happened when I was 19 years old".

At 39 years old, an emotional Manning saying farewell to a game he undoubtedly revolutionized.

He also recalled the National Football League legend he played against, "The quarterback for our opponent, the Miami Dolphins, was - after my dad, my favorite player - Hall of Famer Dan Marino, who on the first third down of the game completed a 25-yard skinny post".