Marvin Harrison and Peyton Manning shared a moment on the field of Levi’s Stadium before Super Bowl 50. (Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
Peyton Manning’s recent comments at speaking engagements in Jacksonville and seemed to offer hints that he’s not ready to stop playing.
His leading receiver with the Colts doesn’t believe he’s ready either.
Marvin Harrison, who caught 112 of Manning’s touchdown passes from 1998-2008 with the Colts, told that he wouldn’t be surprised if the 18-year quarterback tried to play a 19th season.
“No, I wouldn’t be shocked if he didn’t (retire),” Harrison said. “I would expect him to keep playing. This is my opinion: I would expect him to keep playing. If he does retire, I would be shocked. He just loves it.
“Everybody has a different opinion of where to go about every different year, but when his body says it’s time to stop I’m sure he’ll do the right thing for his health.”
In their 11 seasons together, Harrison and Manning connected for 953 completions and 12,766 yards, in addition to their 112 touchdowns.
After refusing to take a pay cut, Harrison was granted a release from the Colts in 2009 and later retired.
“I was more than thrilled to retire,” he said. “I was like, If this is it, I’m fine with it.”
But Harrison, who was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on the eve of Super Bowl 50, isn’t convinced Manning feels the same after 18 seasons and a pair of Super Bowl titles.
“Peyton? He does his own thing,” Harrison said. “He’s a guy who loves football. He loves the game. This is what he lives for. So for him to continue and the way things happened at Indianapolis, it happened for the best for Indianapolis, and it happened for the best for him. So that now that he’s played with Denver, like I say, this is what he wants to do. He wants to continue to play football.”
