Best Game: 31-42 for 324 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception. @ Detroit Lions.
(Stats courtesy of ESPN and Wikipedia)
By conventional standards, he was mediocre this season at best. However, there are two reasons he is on this list. One, despite having a diminished arm, his intangibles are still superior to most, his football IQ, his ability to read a defense, and his leadership. And number two, he was the quarterback that won the Super Bowl.
He got benched for Brock Osweiler, something that shouldn't be forgotten. Conversely though, he did win the job back and got the job done when it mattered most.
It might not be because of Peyton that the Broncos won the Super Bowl, but he didn't blow it either. We have seen many times in the past, even great defenses can be undone with a bad quarterback (Think Texans vs Chiefs in the Wild Card round). Peyton Manning might not have been a great quarterback, but in the playoffs at least, he avoided being a horrible one.
The future for Peyton Manning is of little doubt to anybody. A short 5-year wait, and then it's off to Canton, likely joined by Charles Woodson. However, what he does with his life after football is yet to be determined. With his football IQ, he could make a damn good coach or commentator. However, he might be more interested in the routes of business or being a simple family man.
Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos