It was the spring of 2012, and Peyton Manning was the most sought-after quarterback in the NFL. So, it was barely a surprise when he found himself sitting in one of John Elway’s restaurants, listening as the Broncos legend made his pitch to bring him to Denver. That meeting would go on to change the course of the franchise, and that’s what Elway reiterated in his latest interview.

“There were four other teams involved, and I just wanted to show him [Manning] what the Broncos were all about,” Elway said on The Rich Eisen Show on Monday. “Show him the organization, and John Fox was our head coach, who was a great coach, and won a lot of football games with Mike McCoy being the offensive coordinator. “

“It was to show him [Manning] what we’re all about because we knew it wasn’t going to be a hard sell for us,” Elway went on to say. “It was going to lay out what we had, what we could provide for him. Also, allow him to come in here and really be involved in what he has done in the previous 14 years or 13 years in the league.”

Back in 2012, after four neck surgeries and a lost 2011 season, uncertainty surrounded Peyton Manning’s health and future in the league. Before the 2012 season, Indianapolis even released him rather than committing to a massive $28 million bonus. That turned him into the most sought-after free agent the league had seen in years. 

At least a dozen teams reached out to him. The Broncos and the Arizona Cardinals hosted his first visits.

Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans also made strong impressions on Manning. In fact, he reportedly bonded quickly with Titans coach Mike Munchak. The team had even discussed a lifetime contract with the QB in 2012. So why did Manning choose another team? 

Elway revealed that it was his conversation with Peyton Manning in 2012 that helped the Broncos sign him. He noted that the Broncos never tried to oversell themselves. Instead, Elway focused on showing Manning exactly who they were as an organization. During a quiet, 45-minute conversation away from the spotlight in Elway’s restaurant, they simply talked about things without any pressure.

“We pulled off to the side, sat down for about 45 minutes to an hour, and we just talked,” Elway told the NFL Media in 2014.

With multiple teams in pursuit, Elway wanted Peyton Manning to understand the culture, the coaching staff, and the opportunity waiting for him in Denver. He pointed to head coach John Fox, offensive coordinator Mike McCoy, and a staff that already had a proven track record of winning. 

Manning had spent more than a decade running offenses his way in Indianapolis. So, Elway assured him that Denver would build an offense around his strengths, not ask him to fit into a rigid system. That flexibility, Elway believed, mattered just as much as money or roster talent.

Even John Fox took a similar approach with Peyton Manning. Rather than pushing the QB for a quick decision, Fox had encouraged him to take his time in choosing his next team. That patience paid off as Manning called Elway’s office in March 2012. He had chosen Denver.

The Broncos then sent a plane to pick Peyton Manning up in South Florida, shortly after his emotional farewell in Indianapolis. Soon after, he signed a five-year, $96 million contract and began a new chapter in the Mile High City.

What changed for the Broncos with the signing of Peyton Manning?

Looking back, it’s hard to argue that Peyton Manning’s signing was a turning point in Denver. It was back in 1998 that Broncos owner Pat Bowlen lifted the franchise’s first Super Bowl trophy. But then, for nearly 14 years, the Broncos had not been anywhere near what they were since John Elway retired after the 1998 season.

However, as Elway returned to the front office in Denver, he threw his hat in with Peyton Manning in 2012. And things only changed for the better.

Denver became the NFL’s gold standard during Peyton Manning’s tenure, as they posted a league-best .764 winning percentage. More than that, Manning’s arrival restored belief to a franchise that had been searching for its identity since Elway retired.

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The Broncos won the AFC West in all four seasons Manning played in Denver. They posted a remarkable 50-14 regular-season record and reached two Super Bowls. During the historic 2013 season, Manning also shattered records with 55 passing touchdowns and 5,477 yards. 

Manning’s journey to Denver was shaped by uncertainty and resilience after his four surgeries. But in hindsight, his move to the Mile High City was inevitable. Despite leaving the Colts franchise, where he had spent more than a decade, Denver was his home towards the end of his football career.