Russell Wilson inspired by Peyton Manning as a kid

Newly acquired Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson has gotten closer with former Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning this off-season since joining the Broncos.

Just last week, Ryan Fitzpatrick deemed Manning as the greatest quarterback of all time, and yes, over Tom Brady.

Like many quarterbacks and kids growing up, Wilson was inspired by Manning as a young child.

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Wilson recalled a time the former two-time Super-Bowl winning quarterback inspired him at a youth training camp.

Wilson said:

"One week, my dad and I took a flight down to the Peyton Manning Passing Academy in Thibodaux, Louisiana, and I'm talking about real down south like real down south. Okay, and so now when we get there, we're in this crummy, I mean, terrible, terrible hotel, and the only room they have is right next to the laundry room, so you can hear the washing machines going all night to do tu tu tu tu tu tu tu tu tu...smells kind of funky. I mean, the good times.

"My first day of camp, they pick 12 kids who got to work with the one and only Peyton Manning, and I got picked. Peyton tells me, of course, in his voice, 'You can really spend that ball for a little guy.'"

Peyton Manning has taken Russell Wilson under his wing since arriving in Denver

Denver Broncos Introduce Quarterback Russell Wilson

Ever since the Broncos acquired Wilson via a trade from the Seattle Seahawks, he and Peyton Manning have remained in close touch.

Ever since Wilson has arrived, he's been taken under Manning's wing, and is learning a lot from the former Bronco.

Wilson said:

"Since I've gotten here, he's kind of taken me under his wing in a beautiful way."

He went on to say:

"But obviously, the thing that Peyton and I both love is football. We can spend all day watching football together... It's fun just to be around arguably the world's greatest ever to play the game at that position. To be able to learn and ask questions and vice versa, talk football ... that's the fun part."

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Manning's been giving Wilson advice since he's arrived. Wilson is in a similar situation that Manning was in later in his career when he joined Denver.

Manning said:

“I try to be there as a resource for Russell if he has questions. I have shared with him a couple of things that helped me in my transition. And I've also shared that with the Broncos, with Coach Hackett, who reached out to me."