When Brock Osweiler turned down the Denver Broncos to sign with the Houston Texans, there was some speculation that he did not want to have to live up to playing in the shadow of legendary quarterbacks John Elway and immediate predecessor Peyton Manning.
Osweiler himself said that this couldn’t be further from the truth.
“I have tremendous respect for both John Elway and Peyton Manning as people and as quarterbacks in the NFL, but I was not concerned one bit with playing in their shadow,” Osweiler told Jenny Vrentas of the MMQB in an interview posted Friday. “That didn’t weigh into my decision whatsoever. Bottom line, I made my decision off where I felt like I could have the most success playing quarterback in the NFL and where I could go and win long term.”
Osweiler also says that he bears no grudges toward Denver.
“I could probably stand up and have a press conference and thank 100 guys within that Denver organization, along with all those teammates I played with,” Osweiler said. “So there is no grudge. I have nothing but love for my time I spent in Denver, and appreciation, and gratitude. But now we are beginning a new chapter, and I couldn’t be more excited to be here in Houston.”
The fact of the matter is the big money deal Houston offered was likely a big factor in Osweiler packing up and heading for pastures new. He was also said to have been less than thrilled at being benched just before the team went on its Super Bowl-winning run. It doesn’t sound like Manning or Elway’s shadows had anything to do with it. It sounds more like Osweiler and the Broncos weren’t completely sold on each other as long-term partners, and he got a firm commitment and a great deal from someone else instead.
