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Peyton Manning sets NFL's all-time passing yards record

Former Colts quarterback Peyton Manning today set the NFL's all-time passing yards record.

Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

In the first quarter of today's game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning became the NFL's all-time leader in passing yards, surpassing Brett Favre.

It's an incredible accomplishment for Manning, particularly considering the uncertainty that arose surrounding his neck injury in 2011.  At that point, despite an incredible start to his career, it looked unlikely that Manning would set the passing yards or passing touchdowns records.  He set the touchdown record last year, however, and today set the yardage record.

Manning, of course, is one of the all-time greats in NFL history and the greatest to ever play football in Indianapolis, where he did much of the production to get to this record.  In 14 years with the Colts, Manning completed 64.9% of his passes for 54,828 yards and 399 touchdowns against 198 interceptions for a passer rating of 94.9.

He was just three yards away from setting the record in front of his former home crowd in the stadium that is a standing testament to his legacy, but his final attempt of the game last week against the Colts was intercepted by Darius Butler.  Ironically, that means that his likely final pass in Indy was completed to a Colt, but it prevented him from setting the record there.

It was only a matter of time before he set the record, though, and it came early in today's game.  He's also going for another record, as if the Broncos win today, it will be Manning's 187th as a starter, also passing Favre for another NFL record.