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Peyton Manning Says He'll Miss His Late Friend Pat Summitt 'Dearly'

DENVER (CBS4) - Peyton Manning is remembering his friend Pat Summitt.

He says she "was always very supportive of my career and I enjoyed seeing her back at a Tennessee football game or when she would come to Indianapolis to see Tamika Catchings play."

Tyler Summitt (L) Pat Summitt and Peyton Manning
Tyler Summitt (L) and Peyton Manning (R) present the Arther Ashe Courage Award to Pat Summitt onstage during the 2012 ESPY Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on July 11, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Summitt, the winningest coach in Division I college basketball history who helped boost the women's game to the big time in a 38-year career at Tennessee, has died. She was 64.

Manning played football at Tennessee, leading the Volunteers to the 1997 SEC championship his senior year.

"She was one of the people I consulted with following my junior year when I was deciding whether to turn pro early or stay in college. She gave me some very valuable advice during that time. My teammates and I went to a lot of Lady Vols games when we were in school, and I really enjoyed watching her teams play."

The recently retired Denver Broncos quarterback says he will "miss her dearly, and I am honored to call her my friend. My thoughts and prayers are with Tyler and their entire family."

(© Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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