Peyton Manning and Kobe Bryant are two of the greatest players in the history of their respective sports, and New York Jets wide receiver Brandon Marshall sees a lot of similarities between them at this point in their careers.
Appearing as a guest on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” Wednesday night, Marshall alluded to the way Manning’s and Bryant’s skills have rapidly declined.
“It kind of reminds me of watching Kobe Bryant, right?” Marshall said, via Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. “These last couple of years you’ve seen the guy really hit a wall. These are legends, living legends, and all of a sudden, they can’t do it anymore physically.”
Saying that they “can’t” get it done anymore might be a little harsh, as Manning clearly did enough in the divisional round of the playoffs to lead the Denver Broncos to a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. That said, both Manning and Bryant have battled significant injuries over the past two-plus years. Age has clearly taken its toll, and they are no longer dominating their sports the way they once did.
While Marshall didn’t sound optimistic that the Broncos can beat the New England Patriots on Sunday, he said he is rooting for Manning.
“But I am a huge Peyton Manning fan,” he continued. “I am a fan of the redemption story, so hopefully he goes out there and wins and makes it to a Super Bowl.”
Anyone who is writing the Broncos off should be careful. Denver gouged New England on the ground the first time the two teams met, and playing at home with a great defense gives them a good chance. Plus, we all know what the Broncos’ intentions have been with all the trash they have talked this week. You shouldn’t be shocked if it works.
