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Russell Wilson pens provisional goodbye letter to Peyton Manning

Russell Wilson pens provisional goodbye letter to Peyton Manning

No matter what Peyton Manning decides to do — retire or keep playing — he's already reached a certain level of respect from his peers — and that happened well before his second Super Bowl title.

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In fact, for Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, the first seeds of that respect for Manning started when he was in 10th grade at Manning's passing camp in Louisiana. That's where Wilson, he wrote in a letter to Manning at The Players Tribune, first learned to respect football and felt the burning desire to be great.

Wilson wrote:

Sheriff,

If this is it, there’s one moment I won’t forget.

10th grade. Louisiana. At your quarterback camp.

You inspired the kid in the green shirt.

You inspired me to work hard. To be disciplined. To be respectful. To take notes.

You inspired me to love the process. To love the sweat. To love the tears.

There's more, and it's pretty good and certainly from the heart, and we'll even forgive Wilson for titling his piece that of a Huey Lewis song. The tributes and farewells are starting to roll in for Manning, even though he said after the Super Bowl 50 win over the Carolina Panthers that he'll heed Tony Dungy's advice and let things cool down before he makes any decisions on 2016.

Even if Wilson's letter is a year early, it's a good note of a young star and how he learned to love the game. Expect more to follow from people all over the NFL, and perhaps beyond.

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Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at edholm@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter!