Peyton Manning beat the league to the punch. As confirmed by USA Today Sports, the former Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos quarterback sold his stake in 31 Denver-area Papa John's locations on Feb. 26, just days before Pizza Hut took over the role of official sponsor.

Peyton Manning is getting out of the pizza business. The former Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos quarterback has sold his stake in 31 Denver-area Papa John's locations to another operator, the Louisville, Ky. -based chain confirmed Wednesday. The Denver Post first reported the sale.

Papa John's and the NFL (The International Franchise Association recommends a deliberately stepped process for transitioning out of franchise ownership.) Only two days later, the NFL and Papa John's divorced. USA Today reported that the entities split because of slumping pizza sales.

TV Commercial Spot - Papa John's Ultimate Meat Pizza - Up Your Game - Ft. Peyton Manning - YouTube.

The alleged incident happened back in 1996, when Manning was a 19-year-old student. Naughright claimed that the quarterback put his "testicles and anus" on her face while she was carrying out an examination on his foot. Dr. Naughright spoke to Inside Edition about the incident that scarred her forever.

CEO Steve Ritchie said on the company's earnings conference call that the league and the company mutually decided it was in their best interests for Papa John's, which became the official pizza of the league in 2010, to give up the designation. The brand is the first NFL sponsor to leave in the midst of its deal.

Shaq owns nine Papa John's restaurants in and around Atlanta. He has also appeared in Papa John's commercials and other advertising which is part of the criteria he required. He not only purchased nine franchises, but he also sold the company the right to use his likeness and voice for $8.5 million.

Little Caesars has wrestled away the NFL's official pizza sponsorship from rival Pizza Hut. The new agreement offers Little Caesars a set of exclusive marketing rights to reach pro football fans in the upcoming season.

18 since high school. But he opened his extremely successful career at Isidore Newman School in New Orleans with a different number. Manning made the switch in honor of his older brother Cooper, who had to give up football before his first season at Ole Miss because of spinal stenosis.

John Schnatter was known as “Papa John” after starting the chain in 1984. The company is now distancing itself from the former CEO and dropping the apostrophe in its name. Schnatter responded to the renaming in a statement Tuesday evening, saying, “Try as they may, they can't have Papa Johns without Papa John.”

FIFA's salty-snack brand sponsor Frito-Lay unveiled a new World Cup ad staring Peyton Manning and David Beckham "arguing over whether the sports should be called 'soccer' or 'football,'” according to Ben Miller of the CHICAGO BUSINESS JOURNAL.

"I changed jersey numbers from 14 to 18 really as a tribute to him," Peyton Manning said in a CBS feature. "He told me he wanted to kind of live his dream of playing football through me and of course Eli as well." Eli Manning would wear No. 18 for the Greenies, though he now dons No.