In between prepping tonight’s dinner and picking up the apartment, I had the chance to watch Peyton Manning’s press conference in its entirety.

The word ‘comfortable’ rolled off his tongue almost seamlessly. After spending 14 years as an Indianapolis Colt, Manning was all of a sudden the NFL’s most high profiled free agent. The process itself was an out of body experience for Manning who had to prove to GMs, executives and higher-ups that he still was the precise, gun-slinging quarterback that head coaches feared on the field at Duke University last week.

Just like his attention-to-detail Sundays, there was no doubt Manning’s next career move would mirror his preparation tendencies.

There is a familiarity with the Broncos’ head coach John Fox, a common bond between a Hall of Fame quarterback in John Elway and a percolating interest in molding and tutoring young receivers like Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker. Yes, there are concerns, particularly at the tight end position and the secondary, but it’s not something that Manning can’t handle.

As he noted in the press conference this afternoon, Manning will not be involved in personnel and draft decisions. He has a relinquished role almost.

Many agree that San Francisco was the complete package: a team that ranked first overall in rushing, No. 7 in defense and offensive weapons in Frank Gore and Vernon Davis. The receiving corps also signed Randy Moss signed to a one-year deal last week while Mario Manningham inked a two-year deal late Saturday night. Getting Manning would have been the cherry on top of a colossal sundae.

But that wasn’t the case. Instead, Manning chose a comfortable challenge in the Broncos.

Standing at the podium, I couldn’t help but notice how at ease Manning seemed to be with the decision that he had just made.

“Do people know who this guy is?” I thought to myself as I chopped the salad ferociously. He is Peyton Manning. He will do just fine.