Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning needed to get away after last week’s season-ending loss. So he hooked up with Colorado Rockies first baseman and old buddy from Tennessee, Todd Helton, to embark on a hunting trip around the country.

“He told me he killed, in one day, a duck in Colorado and a deer in Mississippi,” Manning’s dad, Archie, told The Associated Press via The Denver Post.

“He’s trying to get it out of his system,” said Archie Manning. ”I don’t know when that happens or how. But when he reflects on it, he’s already said it, it was really a special year.”

Peyton needed something to do to take his mind off of last Saturday’s 38-35 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

“As a parent, it’s easy to look at the big picture,” Archie Manning said. “Here we are one year later. He left a city and a team, the only place he played. Had to pick a new spot. Leaving was hard. Picking a new spot was difficult to do.”

Archie added: “At age 36, he truly lives that old theory of, ‘enjoy the journey.’  But along the way, we kid him. He’s bossy. But that’s who he is. I know he won’t quit working. He won’t quit trying to improve.”

Archie says the doctors believe some of the nerves in Peyton’s neck, shoulder and hand still have room regenerate, which means he could improve by next season.

Manning finished the season with 4,659 yards passing and 37 touchdowns.  He had the second best season of his 14-year career in terms of yards, touchdowns and completion percentage, and led the Broncos to a 13-3 season with the top spot in the playoffs.

Duncan Steel | Elite.