The Parable of Peyton Manning

Peyton Manning and his defense walked through the desert for many years. There were times of happiness. There were times of drought. There were times of high scoring shootouts. There were times of disappointment. Still, Peyton persevered.
After several years, Peyton Manning finally led his team to the promised land. There was great rejoicing by all except for Manning's defense. Manning, sensing discomfort, approached his defense.
"Defense," Manning spoke, "why is your brow darkened"?
The defense looked back upon the path and replied "As I look upon the path we walked, I see the good times and the bad, the light of your great drives and the darkness of our run defense." Defense gestured to the long path, and continued, "why is it, Peyton, that in the good times, there are two sets of footprints as we walked together, and in the dark times, only one set, as I walked alone."
Peyton smiled knowingly, and put his arm across the shoulders of his defense and said, "the reason why you see but one set of foot prints is that during the bad times, I carried you."
Defense wept with joy and gratitude.