Peyton Manning watches Derek Jeter play for the last time

Derek Jeter and Peyton Manning chatted during batting practice at Yankee Stadium on Sunday. (Twitter/@MLB)

Now that he has Sundays free for the time being, Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning paid a special visit to New York on Sunday to see a fellow sporting legend play for the last time.

Manning said he came to Yankee Stadium on Sunday to "pay his respects" to Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, who is set to retire after this season. Manning and Jeter spent time chatting during batting practice on Sunday — and Peyton and his brother, New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, were guests in Jeter's private suite.

"We've been friends since — he's a couple of years older than me, but we've pretty much been professionals at the same time," Peyton Manning said, according to the New York Daily News.

"Just wanted to see him play. It's the only time I'm gonna get to New York before our season starts, and they're not coming out to the Rockies this year. So I wanted to see him play in person and get a good picture for my scrapbook. Derek's been to a number of Colts games through the years and has got an open invite to the Broncos games this fall after the Yankees finish their season."

Manning was also in town to tape an appearance on "The Late Show with David Letterman." Letterman, coincidentally, is also on the verge of retirement — he said recently he'll hang it up next year.

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As for when the 38-year-old Manning might retire, he said he'd have a hard time taking that step.

"As long as I'm enjoying the preparation part of it, as long as I can still help and produce for a team — I don't want to be out there hanging on — then I'm going to keep doing it," he said. "I hope I know when the right time is. I know that was a hard decision for Derek, I know it'll be hard for me, but I can tell he's at peace with it and he's enjoying this season."

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