Peyton Manning fought off tears, sometimes unsuccessfully, as he officially announced the end of his playing career during a press conference on Monday in Denver.

"Today, I retire from pro football," Manning said to a packed room of reporters. He later added, "I revere football. I love the game. You don't have to wonder if I'll miss the game. Absolutely. Absolutely, I will."

Multiple times during the press conference, Manning choked up, clearly feeling the weight of his announcement. This brings to an end one of the most successful careers in NFL history. Manning won the league MVP award five times and the 2006 Super Bowl MVP, and was named to the Pro Bowl 14 times. His 18-year career places him right at, or at least near, the top of the list of best quarterbacks of all time.

"I fought a good fight and now I finish my football race," Manning said in closing. "After 18 years, it's time. God bless all of you, and God bless football."

See reactions from around the league here.

You can view his full speech here.

More From 97.5 KGKL