Peyton Manning is one of the most likable athletes in professional sports, so it's easy to overlook how competitive he is on and off the field.

It's that competitiveness that has helped Manning remain one of the best players in the NFL despite being 39 and having been through multiple neck surgeries that have left him with a sub-par arm.

The intense anecdotes include what he went through to keep playing after neck surgery, his sneaky first-quarterbacks meeting in college, and his crazy work ethic in high school.