Jeff Legwold, ESPN Senior Writer 9y

Peyton Manning to receive Bart Starr Award

PHOENIX -- Peyton Manning will make his first major public appearance since the Denver Broncos' exit from the postseason when he receives the Bart Starr Award on Friday.

The honor, awarded annually at the Super Bowl Breakfast in the title game's host city, cites a player's “character and leadership" off the field.

Tony Dungy, Manning's former coach with the Indianapolis Colts, is scheduled to present the quarterback with the award in the ceremony. It will be Manning's most high-profile appearance since the Broncos' Jan. 11 loss to the Colts in the AFC divisional round. Bart Starr Jr., the Pro Football Hall of Famer's son, is scheduled to attend, as is former Broncos and Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety John Lynch.

Manning had said on Christmas Eve that he intended to return for the 2015 season, then backtracked following the Broncos' 24-13 loss to the Colts. Manning finished that game 26-of-46 passing for 211 yards and a touchdown. Several Colts defenders said they wanted to put the game in Manning's hands and force him to throw toward the sidelines.

Broncos executive vice president of football operations/general manager John Elway met with Manning the day after the loss and said he told Manning at the time to take at least four weeks to make a decision.

In making the rounds Thursday at the Super Bowl's Radio Row in downtown Phoenix, Archie Manning told a Nashville station that he expected his son to make a decision about the 2015 season "maybe in the next week or two."

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