Once the Super Bowl XLVIII match-up got set between the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks rumors began to swirl about the future of quarterback Peyton Manning. Reports indicated that he will have an exam to his neck to make sure there’s no possibility of an increased injury risk. At 37-years of age that makes sense and if he won his second Super Bowl ring he will retire as a winner and cement his legendary playing career. For some it would even put himself up there as the greatest ever to play the quarterback position.
Manning said that “the light is at the end of the tunnel for me, no question.” Yet, at media day a few days ago he stated that “I feel better physically. I’ve been rejuvenated playing under a different offense, playing with new receivers, because it keeps me stimulated every day. So I certainly would like to keep playing.” That doesn’t really sound like a person ready to hang up the cleats at this point.
Still nothing got mentioned about what happens if the Broncos lose? Manning’s legacy has always been a great regular season quarterback and a choker in the postseason. With the Indianapolis Colts went to the playoffs 11 times and in eight of those seasons was one and done, won one playoff game once, two once and in 2006 got his only ring. In both seasons with the Broncos he’s gone to the playoffs went one and done in 2012 and 2013 a 43-8 blowout loss to the Seahawks in the Super Bowl.
The past two seasons Manning has thrown 82 touchdown passes to 21 interceptions, thrown for 10,136 yards, sacked only 39 times in 1,242 passing attempts and has completed 68.4 percent of his passes. In his outstanding career he has thrown for a total of 64,964 yards, 491 touchdowns to 219 interceptions, sacked 270 times and completed 65.5 percent of his passes.
At this point Manning has nothing left to prove and needs to retire. Even if he doesn’t and leads the Broncos to a Super Bowl victory in 2014 his legacy is already set in stone and another loss whether in the first round or Super Bowl will cement a different legacy as the ultimate choke artist.
Indeed!
payton sucked that was his worse game ever!!! I belive the big headed punk threw the game, wonder how much he got paid to do it?
I believe he should be invited to the great quarterbacks of all time dinner. However he should have to sit at the kids fold out table with Marino and Farve and let the guys who win championships and playoff game converse at the adult table.
Manning has never been good in big games! He blew it his senior year in high school and lost a state championship his team was favoured to win by 12.5, the point spread. They lost by 14. He never won the SEC w/ a very good Tennessee team, 0-4. Now he’s 9-13 in the NFL playoffs, 8 1-0 and outs and the most playoff losses in Pro Football history. He’ll never catch Anthony Calvillo’s 79,800+ yds as Pro Football’s alltime leading passer. Peanut, just retire already!