Broncos' Manning throws 500th touchdown pass

(Reuters) - Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning joined Brett Favre in an exclusive two-man club on Sunday when he threw the 500th touchdown pass of his glittering career. Manning reached the milestone when he connected with tight end Julius Thomas for a seven-yard touchdown with just under five minutes left in the first quarter against the Arizona Cardinals in Denver. It was Manning's 101st touchdown pass since he signed with the Broncos before the start of the 2012 season after he began his stellar National Football League career with the Indianapolis Colts. "It's greatness," Broncos coach John Fox told reporters last week as the 13-time Pro Bowl selection closed in on the 500-mark. "When somebody reaches that kind of statistic in their career, it's pretty remarkable." Manning reached the mark in his 244th career regular season game. Favre needed 293 games. "You don't throw that many touchdowns without a lot of help," Manning, 38, said last week. "I guess I think about just how grateful I am to have played with some great team mates at all positions ... I'll always be grateful for that." (Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Gene Cherry)