Peyton Manning sold Papa John's franchises before NFL ended partnership

Peyton Manning sold his stake in 31 Denver-area Papa John's locations two days before the NFL ended its partnership with the pizza chain sponsor, according to Tamara Chuang of the Denver Post.

Related: Papa John's, NFL end sponsorship deal

Chuang says Manning could not be reached for comment, but Peter Collins, a Papa John's spokesman, confirmed Manning's sale in an email.

An existing Papa John's franchisee acquired all 31 of Manning's stores, according to Collins. Manning will remain as Papa John's celebrity spokesperson and brand ambassador.

A statement released by both the NFL and Papa John's last week said it was a "mutual decision to shift from their league sponsorship to a focus on partnerships with 22 local NFL teams."

John Schnatter, former Papa John's CEO, said during the 2017 season that player protests were to blame for declining sales.