Peyton Manning: The Coveted 509
Oct 19, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh celebrates with quarterback Peyton Manning (18) in the third quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
The quarterback position, as well as its responsibilities, has changed and broadened relatively recently, and an unrivaled attraction to the position has followed. As would be expected, an obsession with the statistical accomplishments of quarterbacks spawned as well. The feverish craze over the position within the past few of decades has developed into something unlike anything else in sports.
Through the past two decades, the NFL has seen quarterback talent like never before. Within those last two decades, the career passing touchdown record, the flashiest of the ever obsessed-about stats, has been reset three times. Once by Dan Marino, once by Brett Favre, and now by Peyton Manning.
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In 1995, Dan Marino dethroned Fran Tarkenton from the top of the all-time touchdown list. Twelve years later, Brett Favre raised the bar once again and finished with a total of 508 career passing touchdowns. Last Sunday night, Peyton Manning set a seemingly unsurpassable, and continuously raising, mark. Just six games into the 2014 season, Peyton Manning threw the coveted 509th touchdown (and later threw another touchdown in that game).
Touchdown No.509 to Demaryius Thomas.
With ten regular season games left this season, Peyton Manning has a tangible chance of reaching the 540 mark in 2014. Doing so would mean that he must throw at least three touchdowns per game (on average), which is currently his pace as he has thrown nineteen touchdowns through six games in 2014. While that may be the current concern, the real question is: how many touchdowns will Peyton Manning end his career with?
For years, there has been speculation of Peyton Manning hitting “the wall” and being rendered as a washed-up quarterback. To some extent, that has happened. Manning’s arm does not have the same pop that it used to and, though he was never anything close to a running quarterback, he is less mobile than he once was. The decline in physical attributes is often directly related to performance, but The Sheriff found a way to make it work.
Through his physical deterioration, it almost seems as if his mental ability, which was always a strength of his, has heightened. His ability to pick up on defensive tendencies and understand where open receivers will be before the ball is snapped is unrivaled. In essence, Manning adapted to the situation at hand without seeing a drop off in his efficiency. For someone who grew up watching Peyton Manning, witnessing his legacy and transition has been beautiful.
To once again beg the question: how many touchdowns will Peyton Manning end his career with? If I were to guess, I would say that Manning could surpass the 600 threshold. If he reaches 540 (or so) by the end of 2014, that leaves roughly 60 more touchdown passes until Manning reaches 600. Unless Manning puts up the most unbelievable and incomparable statistical season in 2015, he would need two more season after 2014 to get to 600 touchdowns.
In Manning’s two season prior to 2014 with the Denver Broncos, he threw 92 touchdown passes, which is good for an average of 46 per year. To compare Manning’s current touchdown rate per season with the 30 touchdowns per season that Manning would need after 2014, Manning’s theoretical touchdown amount per season can be cut by a third and he will still reach 600 touchdowns by the 2016 season. More simply, Manning can throw roughly 16 fewer touchdowns per season in 2015 and 2016, yet still reach 600 career touchdowns.
Could we see Peyton Manning hang up the cleats after this year? Sure. Will he? So long as he has the ability to play, who knows. At this point, it is better to appreciate his legend than to speculate about his future.
Peyton Manning is arguably the best quarterback of all-time, and is certainly the best quarterback that I have gotten the privilege of watching in my lifetime. No player deserves this accomplishment more than Peyton Manning. Both on and off the field, Manning has been a difference maker and has left a legacy that may never be matched. The football community witnessed history not only last Sunday night, but since September 6th, 1998.