5 Things We Learned from Peyton Manning's Press Conference

Thirteen days after the Indianapolis Colts released quarterback Peyton Manning, Broncos Executive Vice President John Elway and owner Pat Bowlen have officially announced the eventual Hall of Famer as the newest addition to the Denver Broncos.

In a press conference that was unprecedented in NFL history, one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history was introduced holding an orange No. 18 jersey by a man that brought two Super Bowl wins to the city of Denver during his playing days.

Now that the deal is completed and the presser is over, let's dive into what the trio of Manning, Elway and Bowlen had to say Tuesday. The following are five things we learned from today's press conference.  

No Secret

The trio of Pat Bowlen, John Elway and Peyton Manning made it no secret: This move is all about inching the Denver Broncos closer to a Super Bowl championship. 

And Manning is not expecting this move to simply set up the Broncos for two or three years down the road. Denver is trying to win and win now.   

The signing of Manning is likely to be just the tip of this iceberg. You should expect the Broncos to make several others moves in free agency to bolster the roster around Manning, including the additions of several of Manning's teammates from Indianapolis.  

Hopes Are Raised

Last season, Tim Tebow gave the Broncos hope for salvaging a season that looked lost five games in. 

With Manning on board, the Broncos now have hope that the next step very well could be a trip to the Super Bowl. As Elway said early on, Manning gives every single player, fan and decision-maker in and around Denver hope that a third Super Bowl championship may be in reach right now. 

This Broncos team undeniably got a whole lot better today, as few acquisitions in the history of the NFL have the possibility for impact like the Denver signing of Manning could. The excitement emanating from the front of the room was palpable.  

Manning's Health Is Getting Close

Manning said he could he play Sunday if there was a game, but that's not the sound byte to focus on here. 

Manning said during the process that teams, including the Broncos, were encouraged with the progress he's made with a neck that has been operated on four times in the past. No team slowed up talks with Manning based on what they discovered with the health of his neck. 

He still isn't 100 percent, and there's work to do, but the sides sound confident that health won't be an issue for Manning by the start of next season.

Tim Tebow Will Be Traded

Maybe it's something we already had a pretty good grasp on, but Elway made it clear that Tebow will be traded sometime during the next stage of this process. While he sidestepped questions about how deep into that next stage Denver is, you could assume that Elway has already started fielding calls for the polarizing quarterback.

Manning, as he's done his entire professional career, masterfully walked the media tightrope when asked about Tebow in Denver, stating that he and Tebow would work together to help the Broncos win games next season.

At the end of the day, however, there appears to be very little chance that Elway and Bowlen will keep Tebow on board behind Manning.

Elway Was the Key

There should be no doubt in anyone's mind who the key in getting Manning to Denver was. Without Elway running a portion of the show, Manning likely isn't holding a Broncos' jersey today.

The two quarterbacks have a deep mutual respect for each other, and the success Elway had at the end of his NFL career with the Broncos likely had a strong pull on getting the former Colts quarterback in Denver.

Manning expressed that he wants to continuing playing for a long time, which means one thing to me: With Manning and Elway in charge of this franchise for (potentially) the next five years, the Broncos have put themselves in a position to play for Super Bowls. Yes, plural—Super Bowls.

Broncos fans can thank Elway for that chance.