INDIANAPOLIS –The Colts have found the man who will sculpt the statue of Peyton Manning outside of Lucas Oil Stadium.
Local sculptor and fireman Ryan Feeney will be tasked with a project thousands of fans will flock to ever year.
"Ryan Feeney is not only very talented, but also a great representative of our community," Colts Owner and CEO Jim Irsay said in a team release. "I am excited to see this project begin."
Feeney, who has been a firefighter for 13 years, is the founder of Indy Art Forge, which creates custom sculptures and furniture out of metal. He has created numerous pieces of work around Indianapolis, including the Peace Dove sculpture for the Indianapolis library, the Fallen Deputy Memorial out front of the Marion County Jail and the bronze eagle at the Indianapolis 9/11 Memorial. The Peace Dove sculpture was unveiled in 2014 and features an 8-foot-tall eagle forged from 1,200 destroyed gun parts that included guns seized by the Marion County Sheriff's Office.
The statue of Manning will be installed outside of Lucas Oil Stadium in 2017.
In March, at a press conference honoring Manning's illustrious career, Irsay expanded on what No. 18 meant to his franchise.
"The journey we went on with Peyton under center for the Colts was just incredibly special in every shape or form, on the field, off the field," Irsay said. "I just can't say enough for what he has meant to this franchise, to this city and state. You just simply run out of words thinking about how much No. 18 means to us.
"(The statue) will be a destination spot for all of our fans…to leave cans of Budweiser or notes for (Manning). We couldn't be more excited about the statues. It's not too often you build statues for people, particularly in their lifetime, but we are really excited about putting this iconic statue in front of Lucas Oil Stadium where it will stand for many, many years."
