Peyton Manning responded to a report saying that he does not want to be a backup quarterback on the Denver Broncos with some very strong words.
ESPN’s Jeff Legwold asked Manning after the Broncos’ loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday for a response to the report.
“It’s bulls— and it’s insulting,” Manning told Legwold. Legwold then asked if that comment was on the record, and Manning was emphatic. “Yes, I can’t say it any plainer than that.”
Earlier on Sunday, NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported on “NFL GameDay” that Manning does not want to be a backup quarterback for the Broncos, which is a possibility when he is ready to return from his foot injury given how Brock Osweiler has performed in his absence.
To be fair, Rapoport clarified that it’s not as if Manning gave the Broncos an ultimatum saying he refused to be the backup quarterback; the report states that Manning wants to be the starter, which is completely understandable. Manning is a future Hall of Famer. Regardless of how he was playing this season, he will always expect to be the starting quarterback because he has always been a quarterback capable of leading a team to the Super Bowl.
The response from Manning echoes the statement given by John Elway also on Sunday. Let’s think about it: if Manning said he were satisfied just being a backup quarterback and pulling a pay check, we’d all have to question his motivation. His response is just what it should be.
