Prior to Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning returning to the field in Week 17, he and coach Gary Kubiak went through some tense moments. Kubiak shared some of them during Manning’s retirement press conference.
Kubiak said that, when he told Peyton Manning after a rough home loss to the Chiefs in November that he’d be pulled from the lineup while his injured foot heals, Peyton “was not real happy with that.” Kubiak said that, over the next seven weeks, he and Manning had “many meetings,” with Manning explaining how badly he wanted to return to play -- but insisting that he do it without becoming a distraction.
Late in the process, Manning began engaging in private workouts, all of which were filmed. Kubiak would then review that film. As Manning got closer to being ready to return, Kubiak noticed the difference. But he apparently wasn’t noticing it quickly enough for Kubiak’s liking.
Regarding one specific Thursday workout, Kubiak noticed something else.
“During the workout, he sent me a signal,” Kubiak said. “To the film. ‘Hey, we’re Number One.’ You can take it that way. I took it as, ‘I’m ready to play.’”
Kubiak was due to watch Peyton Manning work out the next day, and when Kubiak arrived to the workout, it already was over. For the next 25 minutes, Peyton Manning convinced Kubiak that he was ready to return. Kubiak admitted that Peyton’s efforts after he returned were “the difference in how we ended up as a football team.”
That’s far more credit than anyone has given Manning for helping the Broncos get to the Super Bowl and win it this year. It was, for Manning, his fourth Super Bowl appearance with four different coaches. He doesn’t nearly get enough credit for that, either.