As Denver Broncos, Peyton Manning and John Lynch showed how second acts can be sweet ones

CANTON, Ohio — Peyton Manning was a Hall of Famer before he ever got to Denver. John Lynch probably needed those four years and four Pro Bowl appearances with the Broncos to push his candidacy over the top.

They made their names elsewhere.

But they burnished their names in Denver. And even though their eight seasons in orange and blue are two fewer than Steve Atwater played on his own from 1989 through 1998, their legacies in Denver matter, too. And on Sunday night, they were worth celebrating in front of an audience that included so many of their former Broncos teammates and coaches.

Manning’s message was about perpetuating the legacy of football and ensuring that the game continues to survive and thrive. Lynch spoke of how football taught him the power of coming together for a common goal, and how that can be applied to the nation at large.

But both also took time to acknowledge the late Pat Bowlen and the Broncos.

Said Manning: “And to Pat Bowlen, the Bowlen family and the Denver Broncos organization, you took a chance on me at a crucial moment in my career and I will never forget it. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

A few minutes later, Lynch shared a similar sentiment: “To the late, great, Hall of Famer Pat Bowlen, to the Bowlen family, Mike Shanahan and everybody at the Denver Broncos, thanks for giving me such a great landing spot to play the final four years of my career.”

If this had been 2019, Manning, Lynch and their fellow inductees would have likely spoken for 20-to-30 minutes, leaving plenty of time to discuss their second acts.

With a target time of six minutes and the music set to blast them off the stage after eight minutes, there was little time for storytelling.

“When I was playing for the Colts, there were just a few seconds on the play clock, and we needed the balls snapped quickly, I would yell, ‘Hurry, hurry,’ to my center, Jeff Saturday, and he would immediately snap me the ball,” Manning said.

“Well, I’ve gotta tell ya: Tonight’s speech is an all-time hurry-hurry. The 2021 induction class wants to thank those previous inductees who gave long-winded induction speeches, forcing us to have a whopping six minutes to recap our football careers.”

Manning found room for some zingers, including one at Tom Brady and another at Ray Lewis. But he called back to his farewell speech when he announced his retirement at UCHealth Training Center in March 2016, saying that his sentiments remained true.

Then, he closed with the same words that ended his playing career:

“God bless you, and God bless football.”

And, both might have added, bless the Broncos for giving them a late-career renaissance that made their journey to Canton sweeter, and made them legends of a second franchise after they established their names somewhere else.

Sure, Manning and Lynch are remembered by many as a Colt and a Buccaneer, respectively. But the inscription below their busts in the Hall of Fame says, “Denver Broncos,” too.

They’re worth celebrating for Broncos Country — and they know their football journey wouldn’t have been the same without the support of Denver and Broncos Country.