Peyton Manning

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Peyton Manning has unfinished business.

After taking his physical and signing his revised contract Thursday at Broncos headquarters, he’ll head home until the Broncos reconvene April 13 for the start of offseason workouts.

Then, it’s time to adapt to new coach Gary Kubiak’s West Coast offense and continue his pursuit of a second Super Bowl trophy.

Along the way, he’ll almost certainly pad his thick Hall of Fame credentials by breaking Brett Favre’s records for most passing career yards and most regular season wins.

Weeks of speculation about the five-time MVP’s future ended Wednesday with word that he’s returning for an 18th season in the NFL and fourth in Denver.

A person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press that Manning will take a $4 million pay cut, from $19 million to $15 million, but that he can make it all back through performance incentives. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because there was no official announcement of the deal.

Manning’s $19 million salary in 2016 — should he decide to play at age 40 — stays intact. That’s the final season of the five-year contract he signed in 2012.

Manning mulled retirement after the Broncos’ playoff loss to the Indianapolis Colts. But he determined he still had the health and hunger to keep playing at age 39, when he tries to become the oldest QB to win a Super Bowl.

“We’re just excited to have him back,” said running back C.J. Anderson, who came off the bench at midseason last year to earn a Pro Bowl berth. “Of course, he just wants to go out there and win that ring. And we’re just trying to go out there and help him win it.

“I can’t wait to get to work with him and have a full season with him. And if he said he’s mentally and physically ready to play that doesn’t mean it’s at a sub-par level. It means it’s at a high level.”

Manning, who won a title with the Colts in 2006, met with Broncos general manager John Elway a few weeks ago after taking some time to decompress from an arduous season and told him he wasn’t ready to retire.

Manning is 179-77 in the regular season. His nine one-and-out playoff performances are about the only blot on a career that features an unprecedented five MVP honors but half as many rings as brother Eli.

Manning owns most of the significant QB records and is 2,148 yards shy of breaking Favre’s career yardage record of 71,838. He’s also nine victories short of breaking Favre’s record of 186 career wins.