Denver Broncos’ quarterback Peyton Manning broke NFL great Brett Favre’s long-standing touchdown record a couple of weeks ago, and the rest is history.

Any fan of the NFL has seen this coming from a mile away, as Manning has been playing at an extremely high level since signing with the Broncos in free agency before the 2012 season. But even so, the fact is still very impressive.

Favre threw 509 touchdown passes before retiring, and Manning has thrown 513 (and counting.) Just think about that for a moment. Manning has started 247 games in his career, meaning that he has thrown an average of around two touchdowns a game. Truly, Manning is one of (if not the) most consistent quarterback in NFL history, as averaging a multi-touchdown game every single time you step onto the field is unbelievable.

Furthermore, it’s not like there is a small sample size to consider with the record, as he has played almost 250 games. Regardless of how poorly Manning may have performed in the Super Bowl last year, he is still an all-time great. If an NFL coach or general manager tells you that they would take somebody else over Manning with the game on the line, they are either confused or pulling your leg.

Going into the game, there was much anticipation, as almost everybody watching expected Manning to break the record.  What they probably didn’t expect was how quickly he would do it. He entered the contest needing three scores to break the record, and had two by the end of the first quarter. He would throw his record-breaking third touchdown pass in the second quarter, meaning that he had the record in hand even before halftime. Manning would end up adding another touchdown pass in the third quarter, putting an exclamation mark on the game.

However, Peyton’s feat begs the question: What now?  How many more touchdown passes will Manning throw in his career? The man is 38-years-old, but recently, has shown no signs of slowing down. The day that the Indianapolis Colts, Manning’s long-time team, cut ties with him because of neck problems seems to be in the distant past. Instead of being worse for wear, Manning seems to be playing at an even higher level than he was before the surgery (though to be fair, that may be attributed to the amazing roster that surrounds him in Denver.)

Who knows? Maybe he will eclipse the 600-touchdown pass mark and ride off into the sunset of retirement with the content feeling of knowing that his record should be safe, barring anything unexpected.

Whatever ends up happening as Manning finishes his legendary career, it will surely be epic. Quarterbacks of Manning’s caliber only come around once in a generation, and the NFL will surely miss him once he decides to hang up his cleats for good.

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-- Senior | Assistant Sports -- English: Journalism

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