Posted on 02/08/2016 8:15:24 AM PST by SeekAndFind
Anyone looking for a storybook ending to one of the most celebrated active NFL careers in the league had to think it was coming. Peyton Manning, buoyed by a dominant defense, had finally returned to the winner’s platform in a Super Bowl at 39 years of age, the oldest starting quarterback in all 50 Super Bowls. All that would be necessary would be two simple words: “I’m retiring.”
Sorry, storybook fans. Manning couldn’t quite say it — not even after NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell all but announced it moments before Manning took the microphone on stage:
It certainly sounds as though Manning’s planning to wrap things up:
Although Manning had told New England Patriots Coach Bill Belichick after the AFC title game that this might be his "last rodeo," Manning had stressed that he would do what he always does in the offseason. The next step for him will be a physical next month, something he always goes through in March. He'll see neurologists and determine whether to try to play again at the age of 40 and after multiple procedures on his neck.
On Saturday night, Manning was one of several players who spoke up in what a Broncos executive described as a "very emotional" team meeting, but he wouldn't say what was discussed there, either, citing advice from his former Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy.
"'Don't make an emotional decision,’" he told CBS's Jim Nantz. "This has been emotional week, an emotional night."
So why no big reveal last night? Jerome Bettis made his announcement after the Pittsburgh Steelers won a Super Bowl in Bettis’ home town, giving both The Bus and Detroit their storybook ending. Perhaps Manning didn’t want to distract from his teammates’ accomplishment last night, or maybe he just wants this to be a more private decision. Given the way he played in the last couple of games after finally getting healthy again, though, he might want to give it another shot in 2016 — especially with this defense. They played a monster game against what had appeared to be an unstoppable force with Cam Newton and the Panther’s offense. It was an exciting defensive battle right down to the turnover with three minutes left in the game. What quarterback wouldn’t like to be the beneficiary of that kind of lights-out defense?
All that being said, Manning has nothing left to prove, and a life to lead outside of football. It’s time to make that transition before the injuries become too cumulative to enjoy retirement. What do you think? Take the poll:
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Update: I will keep the poll open until 5 pm or so, then post the results later tonight.
When that silly woman was asking him if he was coming back, I half expected him to say, “Are you crazy? Did you even see me out there? It was all I could do to stand up and throw as many completions as I did interceptions.”
I wish he’d given more credit to the defense instead of just the generic, it was the whole team remark.
Because the defense totally won that game for Denver.
he will retire, he can say it after savoring the win.
I sat up straight the minute I read your comment.
Peyton is going to retire. He just didn’t want to steal the spotlight from the rest of the team.
Just wasn’t the right time to announce it.
Exactly. Don't wind up looking pathetic like Johnny U. did with the Chargers.
I think the networks are falling all over each other to sign Peyton as an analyst.
Peyton was more concerned about getting that Budweiser plug in, because I’m sure they paid him a lot of money for it.
No kidding. When my regular walking schedule is interrupted, if just for a day or two, I feel it the next day after a walk. I call it "needing 50 paces to become ambulatory." After that, I'm ok.
I'll be 62 in three months. I need to step it up, as I will celebrate my birthday with a 16 mile walk along my favorite trail (Campion Trail in Irving).
I think that was Otto who wore 00. I think he said “In a second” when asked if he would do it all again.
I’m not a Broncos fan but Peyton got his start here in Indy and he did Right by us. I was sorry to see him go, but given his injuries and subsequent surgery, I understood the business decision iIrsay had to make.
I’m glad he won and would like to see him go out on top.
Classy guy.
There is a rumor floating around that he will sign a ceremonial contract with Indianapolis and retire a Colt. Would be kind of cool, I suppose.
Irsay doesn’t deserve Manning to be Colt. He broke all those records as a Bronco. Elway was willing to build a team around him. Irsay not so much.
Irsay built a team around him for over a decade. After the neck surgery season Irsay was also smart enough to know it was time for a change, they needed to build for the future. Meanwhile Denver was in disarray and took a shot, and Elway didn’t really build a team around him until they got killed in the SB. But Elway probably isn’t going to keep Manning if he decides to stay, they need to build for the future, most of that defense is hitting free agency, and the team has better things to spend $19 million on than a QB who hands the ball off 2/3 of the time.
Actually, Peyton and Brett were tied before the game. Now Peyton has 1 game up on him.
It could have been Otto. And, I believe your quote is correct. So much pain, yet he would do it again, in a second.
Re you 16 mile walk - good for you. One of my friends gave me a block of wood for Christmas complete with instructions: Place on floor and walk around all four sides. Then you can say you walked around the block.
At age 76 it suits me fine and was the perfect gift. Orthopod keeps talking about knee replacements which I refuse. Going out with what God sent me in with.
The SuperBowl Half-time show was a tribute to Black Power, however, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Black Panthers, who succeeded about as well as the Carolina Panthers. Beyonce’s fake cartridge belt may have contained a few actual cartridges, minus their primers. The large X that the 50 black women in paramilitary uniforms and black berets formed, of course, honored Malcolm X, the racist white-hater. Was the conventional US media silent on this? Then go read the British press!
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