What to get Peyton Manning for his 50th birthday? | The Starting Lineup

By Paul Klee March 22, 2026 | updated 3 months ago

Former Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning waves to the crowd at the 10 year reunion for the Super Bowl 50 team at halftime during an NFL football game between the Denver Broncos and the New York Giants Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Turn on the game!

Three must-see events this week:

1. Peyton Manning’s 50th birthday (Tuesday) — No. 18 is turning 50? Time flies. It seems like just yesterday his Broncos were 55-17 over four spectacular seasons. Happy birthday, young man.

2. Rockies at Miami Marlins (5:10 p.m. Friday, MLB.tv) — Colorado’s 34th Opening Day has a sense of … optimism? Not for this season, a sure struggle. But a front-office shakeup brings promise.

3. Washington Spirit at Summit FC (noon Saturday, CBS) — The National Women’s Soccer League makes its Denver debut with over 50,000 tickets sold at Empower Field at Mile High.

Members of Denver Summit FC joke together at Infinity Park in Glendale before the start of practice on March 4. The team’s inaugural home opener is Saturday. (Stephen Swofford, The Denver Gazette)

Numbers game

11 — games for a totally healthy Nuggets roster to figure itself out before the NBA playoffs, with Peyton Watson scheduled to return from injury Sunday against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Denver Nuggets guard Peyton Watson (8) drives past New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) during the first half of an NBA game Feb. 4 in New York. (The Associated Press)

Box office

$66 — for a seat at Ball Arena when the Nuggets host the Golden State Warriors (8 p.m. Sunday), who reportedly are optimistic Steph Curry returns from injury before the playoffs.

On this day

March 22, 2001 — the Avalanche extended a win streak to four straight with a 3-1 win over the St. Louis Blues thanks to three points from Joe Sakic, who later ran away with the Hart Trophy

Joe Sakic, current general manager of the Colorado Avalanche as well as a member of the 1996 Stanley Cup Championship team, waves as he is introduced during a ceremony to mark the 30th anniversary of the win before an NHL game against the Florida Panthers, Dec. 11, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Final word

Long live the Mountain West as we knew it. The longtime Colorado-based conference on Sunday likely bids goodbye to its former self — at least among revenue sports — when No. 9 Utah State meets No. 1 Arizona in the NCAA Tournament. The Aggies, the sole team from the Mountain West to make the field, meet the betting favorite to win the whole thing. When Utah State, Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State and San Diego State exit for the Pac-12, starting next season, our favorite late-night ball is no more. Sigh.

—Paul Klee, The Denver Gazette

Paul Klee

Reporter