Peyton Manning may have the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl discussion despite missing all of last season with a neck injury, but that doesn’t make the 11-time Pro Bowler immune to some friendly needling from his teammates. During Denver’s win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, Manning did something he very rarely does during a game — he scrambled for positive yardage.
As you can see from the video above, Peyton attempted to slide like a smart quarterback should, and the end result was an awkward tumble that made him a punchline in the locker room after the game.
“It’s not even worth explaining what happened,” Manning said while shaking his head, according to USA TODAY Sports. “It looked bad, and the fact that my knee brace got caught, nobody wants to hear that. It is what it is, as they say, and it’s right there on film. I’m very aware that it’s fair game for criticism and ridicule.”
Fortunately for Manning, teammate Eric Decker also had to listen to some heckling after he executed a baseball-style slide between several defenders following a reception in Sunday’s win. Manning’s slide may not have been a thing of beauty, but receivers are supposed to take the hit.
If we have learned anything from hilarious commercials like this one, we know Peyton has a sense of humor and can handle a little friendly ribbing. He may not have been offended, but don’t be surprised if he spends a little time working on his sliding technique during practice this week.
