Peyton Manning will trade the horseshoe for the horse.
The four-time MVP informed Denver VP of football operations John Elway of his decision to join the Broncos on Monday morning, per AP.
Manning told his agent, Tom Condon, to finalize contract negotiations after opting for the move to the Mile High City.
ESPN first broke the news around noon ET on SportsCenter. NFL Network is reporting a press conference is expected Tuesday.
“It’s crazy, it feels so surreal. … It’s such a historic move by the organization,” said Denver DE Elvis Dumervil on ESPN.
“I’m so excited, man, so excited.”
Manning apparently called the 49ers and Titans, the other teams vying for his services, earlier in the day to inform them of the verdict.
“I was hoping we would win out,” Titans owner Bud Adams told The Tennessean. “I thought we’d be ahead of Denver. I thought he’d want to stay in Tennessee.
“I want to thank the whole organization for their efforts in trying to sign Peyton and also to Peyton for the time he put into the process. Peyton called me this morning to inform me of his decision and obviously I am disappointed, because I thought we would be a perfect fit.”
It’s been widely assumed Manning, who turns 36 Saturday, will sign a deal similar (if not exceeding) the five-year, $90 million package he inked with the Colts (who released him March 7) last July. He and Patriots QB Tom Brady topped the NFL with pacts that averaged $18 million annually.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THE BENGALS AND THE BROWNS? DO WE HAVE A CHANCE?
