The Indianapolis Colts announced Monday that they will unveil a statue of Peyton Manning outside Lucas Oil Stadium on Oct. 7 and, the following day, formally retire his No. 18 jersey and induct him into the team’s Ring of Honor.
“Peyton will always be a Colt,” team owner and CEO Jim Irsay said via the Colts’ website. “This will be an event our city, state and Colts fans around the world can celebrate and be proud of.”
When Manning retired in March 2016, he was honored first by the Broncos at the team’s Dove Valley headquarters, and then by the Colts in Indianapolis, where he played his first 13 NFL seasons. It was then that Irsay announced plans to retire Manning’s jersey and commission the building of a statue in his honor outside the stadium, known to many Colts fans as “The House that Manning Built.”
But the festivities for Manning will be a two-day event, culminating at halftime of the Colts’ Oct. 8 game against the San Francisco 49ers. Manning will become the first Colt since the team moved to Indianapolis to have his jersey retired by the team, and he will become the 14th member of its Ring of Honor. The most recent additions were Jeff Saturday (2015), Manning’s longtime center, and Bill Polian (2016), the former general manager and team president who selected Manning with the No. 1 pick in 1998.
The Broncos require a five-year waiting period for eligibility into the Ring of Fame. Only John Elway has had his waiting period waived, and he is expected to remain a class of one. Manning will be eligible in 2021.
