Peyton Manning is made of the same stuff as Johnny Unitas and Joe Montana–that is, the stuff of legend. Manning has not only pure talent, but the individual flair— “OMAHA! OMAHA!”—that has made him one of the most popular football players of all time (at least in Omaha, Nebraska).

Manning’s decision to retire has to do with his congenital neck condition of spinal stenosis. The condition causes severe spinal weakness that can result in paralysis if left untreated. Peyton Manning sat out the entire 2011 season as he underwent several successive neck surgeries, which helped but ultimately did not resolve the problem. If he continued playing, he would be one hard hit away from a wheelchair for life. But thankfully Manning has had a long, successful NFL career and is ending it on a high note.

Regarded by many fans as the single best quarterback of all time, Peyton Manning played college football for the University of Tennessee before being chosen first overall in the 1998 NFL draft. His illustrious 18 professional seasons included a record-setting five MVP awards and two Super Bowl trophies, the first in 2007 and the second one this past season. Manning has set numerous career records, including most passing touchdowns (539), most passing yards (71,940), and most wins (200). The numbers say it all–as CNN’s Eliott McLaughlin puts it, Peyton Manning “holds more records than City Hall.”

Manning has used his fame and influence to make a difference in the world. As he himself declared during his retirement speech, football “has given me a voice which echoes well beyond the game.” He is famous for his philanthropy, which he says is one of the ways he lives out his Christian evangelical faith. His charity organization, the PeyBack Foundation, has raised more than $10 million for underprivileged children in Colorado, Indiana, Louisiana, and Tennessee.

Peyton Manning writes about his priorities in his book Manning, a memoir of sorts that he coauthored with his father, Archie. “For me generally it has always been the big four: faith, family, friends, and football,” he writes in the book Manning, a memoir of sorts which he coauthored with his father, Archie Manning. “As important as football is to me, it can never be higher than fourth.”

Manning is also indisputably a family guy. He and his wife of fifteen years, Ashley Thompson, are raising their four-year-old twins Marshall and Mosley. And Peyton comes from a football family. His father, Archie Manning, played quarterback for 13 seasons from 1971 to 1984. Peyton’s older brother, Cooper, was cheated of an NFL career as wide receiver when he was diagnosed with the same neck condition that Peyton has. Cooper now hosts “The Manning Hour” on Fox Sports. Eli Manning, the youngest of the three brothers, is the starting quarterback for the New York Giants, whom he led to the Super Bowl in 2008 and 2012. Eli and Peyton are known for their friendly competition.

In his retirement speech, Peyton Manning spoke about the “reverence for the game” that he and his brothers inherited from their father. Manning’s NFL career is over, but wherever he will be going next in life, he will undoubtedly retain that reverence for football.