Peyton Manning played with a lot of guys during his Hall of Fame career, but one particular player sticks out in his mind.

In his retirement, Manning has focused on watching his brother Eli's games as well as those of his former teams.

"We come to all the Broncos games, so I enjoy some of the guys that I've played with, like Von Miller. I still enjoy watching him compete," Manning said. "Maybe this tells you how special he is that I'm maybe not looking at quarterbacks now; I'm watching outside linebackers and pass rushers. 

"People ask me a lot of times, 'Who's the best athlete you've ever played with?' And I say, 'Von Miller.' Just some of the things he can do physically is special. So when you come to a Broncos game and they're on defense, you find yourself kind of locked in, seeing this might be the game-changing sack-fumble play, or interception — some kind of game-changing play he can make. I like the way he handles his business and like the way he competes out there."

Longtime Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen died Thursday night at his Denver-area home after a battle with Alzheimer's disease.

He was 75.

Bowlen is set to be formally enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame later this summer.

His family released a statement in the early-morning hours Friday:

"We are saddened to inform everyone that our beloved husband and father, Pat Bowlen, passed on to the next chapter of his life late Thursday night peacefully at home surrounded by family. His soul will live on through the Broncos, the city of Denver and all of our fans. Our family wishes to express its sincere gratitude for the outpouring of support we have received in recent years. Heaven got a little bit more orange and blue tonight. Pat Bowlen had a competitive spirit with a great sense of humor. As fun-loving as he was, he always wanted us to understand the big picture. We will forever remember his kindness and humility. More important than being an incredible owner, Pat Bowlen was an incredible human being."