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ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- It didn't take long for the chatter regarding Peyton Manning's future to begin swirling after the Broncos concluded their 24-10 win over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50 on Sunday night. Manning's mother, Olivia, chimed in, telling the Los Angeles Times that she hoped her middle son would choose to retire rather than coming back for one more go-round.
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"I would like for Peyton to retire, I would," she said. "We're on top, and physically I just don't think it's worth going on. You won a Super Bowl. That's the best way to go out."
Manning finished Super Bowl 50 with a 56.6 passer rating, and the offense struggled Sunday, gaining just 194 yards as the Broncos became the first team to win a Super Bowl with fewer than 200 yards gained.
Manning threw 17 interceptions in the regular season and added another in the postseason against 11 total touchdown passes.
A torn plantar fascia had much to do with that. Manning later admitted the injury bothered him for a while before Broncos coach Gary Kubiak took him out of the Nov. 15 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Manning earned back $4 million he gave up in a salary-cap restructuring by taking the Broncos to their third world championship. He earned the first $2 million back by winning the AFC Championship Game, then got the rest of it after Sunday. It provides a bit of a crunch for the Broncos and takes away some projected carryover money, but given the result, it is an amount they were happy to pay.
However, if Manning does pull a surprise and opts to return, the Broncos will have a choice -- and it is likely an uncomfortable one. The Broncos face a long offseason list of re-signings -- including backup Brock Osweiler, with whom the Broncos went 5-2 as the starter.
"We won a lot of big football games during the course of that season. So, (I am) very proud of (Osweiler); he has got a bright future, but we'll take it a day at a time," Kubiak said. "I think right now, it's about reflecting on what has been done this past year, and it has been special. And I think we all need to enjoy it here right now."
With just over two weeks left until the Scouting Combine, the Broncos would prefer a decision sooner rather than later.
--Linebacker Von Miller is about to become a very rich man.
With an expiring contract, the Broncos will surely give him the franchise tag if they can't work out a deal with him later this month. And if and when a long-term deal is struck, it will likely be more expensive than the $16.7 million deal the Chiefs struck with linebacker Justin Houston.
However, Miller wasn't thinking about that in the wake of his 2.5-sack, two-forced-fumble performance that made him the 10th defensive player to win Super Bowl MVP honors.
"The Super Bowl MVP is special, but the Super Bowl ring is something that I will keep with me for the rest of my life," he said. "I'll be able to be with my brothers for eternity. I'll be able to be with those guys for 100 years from now, and that's truly beautiful."
Miller vowed that the negotiations would be "a peaceful thing."
"It's another thing that the media tries to play up," he said Monday morning. "As for me, I am just enjoying being with my teammates, celebrating with those guys. That's where I want to be at right now."
--Running back C.J. Anderson capped his homecoming to the Bay Area with the game-clinching 2-yard touchdown run. Anderson ran for 90 yards on 23 carries, including a 34-yard burst off the left side in the second quarter.
--Outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware had two sacks as the Panthers failed to contain either of Denver's Pro Bowl edge rushers.
--Inside linebacker Danny Trevathan was on the spot for two fumble recoveries, including one that preserved a change of possession deep in Denver territory after S T.J. Ward fumbled his interception return in the third quarter.
--Cornerback Chris Harris Jr. looks forward to some rest after dealing with a nerve issue in his left arm throughout the postseason. Harris said the injury was worse than he let on, although he played better with it the last two games than he did against the Steelers in the divisional round.
--Punter Britton Colquitt capped an outstanding postseason by averaging 45.6 neat yards on his eight punts and dropping two of his punts inside the 20-yard-line. His net average was 12.2 yards better than that of Carolina's Brad Nortman.
--Wide receiver Jordan Norwood had the breakthrough play for which he was hoping, setting a Super Bowl record with a 61-yard, second-quarter punt return that set up a field goal.
--Kicker Brandon McManus drilled all three of his Super Bowl field-goal attempts and became just the second kicker in NFL history with at least 10 field goals in a single postseason.
