5 Things We Learned from Peyton Manning's Colts Press Conference

It was an emotional scene and rightfully so, because it's not very often that an eventual Hall of Fame quarterback such as Peyton Manning comes around.

Yes, there are numerous Hall of Fame players and quarterbacks; however, Manning is part of that select group who can be argued in the "best ever" discussion.

That said, here are five things we learned from Manning's press conference on Wednesday.

Colts Were Ready to Move on

Get a good look at Andrew Luck, Colts fans, because with Manning not returning, all signs point to the No. 1 overall selection in the 2012 NFL draft.

And as owner Jim Irsay stated, "The No. 18 jersey will never be worn again."

Obviously with roughly six weeks until the draft, Colts fans have time to digest this situation and then gradually move on to the next chapter in franchise history.

The book on Peyton Manning has closed and is beginning anew elsewhere. So, a new book will stock the proverbial shelves with Andrew Luck in the hopes of quickly rebuilding this season.

And although not seeing Manning under center will be tough, at least Indy has the No. 1 pick. Despite the unfortunate circumstances, Indy could be in a much worse position heading into next fall.

Money and Contract Wasn't a Major Factor

"It's never been about money, it's never been about those type of things," Colts Owner Jim Irsay stated in his press conference (go to 3:25 mark in video for quote).

And at this point in Manning's career, cash is probably the least of his worries anyway. For any player who has played in the NFL long enough, financial security is one thing they need not worry about.

As for Manning, he was at the top of his profession for 14 years and the Colts were legitimate Super Bowl contenders for most of that span. If anything, Manning earned his paychecks, and 11 Pro Bowls with eight All-Pro selections is evidence of that.

Lest we forget about his records, there were two Super Bowl appearances and a consecutive playoff appearances streak.

This also proves that despite being insanely rich, pro athletes and owners are much more down-to-earth than at first glance. And in an era where exposure is virtually 24/7/365, those who act out of character get noticed.

Making Decisions Are Difficult

This decision by Jim Irsay and Peyton Manning is definitely one of the most difficult decisions that each guy has had to make.

Even when compared to other decisions in pro football, deciding to split with one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time is on another level. The impressive aspect, though, was how thorough Irsay and Manning were before coming to this conclusion.

"Peyton and I have had numerous conversations over the months and we always kept trying to come back to the circumstances that were before us," Irsay said (quote begins at 1:40 mark in video). "We tried to put each other in each other's shoes and tried to realize what the situation was for the franchise, what it was for Peyton and in the end, those circumstances were too difficult to overcome."

In short, this as fans, is what you want from an owner as it displays the patience needed to make a clear and concise decision. It's also thanks to this kind of detailed decision-making that helps a franchise see consistent success.

Legacies End Elsewhere

Yes, that's Joe Montana during his days for the Kansas City Chiefs. Considered the greatest quarterback of all time, Montana won four Super Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers and was part of the organization 1979-1992.

Manning's precursor with the Colts, Johnny Unitas (although they were in Baltimore back then), finished his career with the San Diego Chargers in 1973 and Joe Namath spent his final season with the Los Angeles Rams in 1977.

So in other words, Manning is in good company and it just goes to show that not every legend has a fairy tale ending.

Manning certainly wasn't the first and won't be the last.

Manning, as Expected, Is a Class Act

As he stated in his press conference, "Thank you very much from the bottom of my heart. I have truly enjoyed being your quarterback."

Whether you're a fan of the Colts, Manning, the NFL or just the game of football in general, we can't ask for much more from the legend.

Throughout this entire saga Manning has displayed great character and during the season, was always there to help the organization. Despite his age and health concerns, wherever Manning lands before the 2012 season begins, that franchise will be getting the complete package.

Not just a quarterback or football player, but a person that is engaged with society and is of great influence.

It may have just been a press conference and football may just be a game, but it's who Manning is as a person that's most impressive.

John Rozum on Twitter.