The legacy of Peyton Manning is undiminished, and the backbone of his incredible success on the gridiron is his wife, Ashley. The mother of two pushed him constantly to get better every day and nearly saved him from announcing a retirement before he won his second Super Bowl trophy with the Denver Broncos. Even after so many years, the veteran still gives special credit to his life partner.
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The Hall of Famer has achieved almost everything in his career that an athlete would imagine accomplishing. All those MVP titles, Pro Bowl selections, and multiple accolades justify his brand value, which still remains unfazed in the football fraternity.
Ashley pushed Peyton Manning to after second championship title
When Peyton was selected from Tennessee as a first overall pick in the 1998 draft, the entire NFL fraternity was sure about his skillset. His father Archie Manning’s legacy was still intact, and the signal-caller was supposed to follow in these footsteps. Well, he did not disappoint and wrote a legacy of his own.
While his on-field heroics made frequent headlines, it was Ashley who remained a pillar of support. In the later stages of his career, Peyton suffered neck injuries that almost ended his career. He was playing with the Broncos, and had an unparalleled resume, and he felt like it was time to call it a career. But Ashley refused to give up on her husband.
In an interview with the legendary journalist Peter King, Manning spoke about the role her wife plays in his life. “You don’t want to embarrass yourself. Because they’re signing you, and people are thinking they’re getting the player they had always seen before,” the veteran said, per Bleacher Report.
“And so, Ashley was the one that was saying, ‘Peyton, you’ve got to try. You’ve got to try.’ With this injury, nothing was happening. Nothing. For weeks. There was no progress. It was so frustrating. But she’s like, ‘You’ve got to try.’ So I was glad that she pushed me to do it. Once I did it, I was going at it, and then I started seeing a little bit of light there.” he added.
Next season, Manning gave everything, and the result was the Lombardi Trophy. While he enjoyed the pinnacle of success, one must never forget that there was a woman who constantly motivated him off the field.
Ashley is a philanthropist and a full-time real estate developer
The Memphis native has a diverse portfolio, just like her husband, who rules the NFL world. She is a real estate developer and owns minority stakes in the NBA team, the Memphis Grizzlies. Apart from work, Ashley spends time in philanthropy and runs a foundation called the PeyBack Foundation.
It engages in providing opportunities for the youth and helps them acquire appropriate skill sets to compete at the highest levels. Similarly, she had also organized fundraising campaigns for breast cancer patients. She relentlessly works off the camera and enjoys her life to the fullest. After seeking retirement, Manning had also begun contributing alongside Ashley to the noble cause.
