For Broncos’ fans, myself included, Super Bowl XLVIII will be a game that we will try to block from our memories. There’s no sugar coating it; that game was a disaster. However, the one thing I will not stand for is all the talk about how this single game somehow defines Peyton Manning’s pro-football legacy. Manning has proven himself, both on and off the field, in ways that other players can only hope to achieve, and trying to delegitimize his legacy based off of one game is absolutely absurd.
You do not even have to look much farther back than the 2012 season to see this. Manning was unfortunately hurt for the entirety of the 2011 season, but that did not stop him. He recovered and came to the Broncos in 2012 eventually to win the Comeback Player of the Year award. This shows not only his talent as a player, but his dedication and hard work to recover and continually get better.
And of course, there was this record-breaking past season. Manning threw for 5,477 yards and for 55 passing touchdowns, both of which are NFL season records. Also, he led the Broncos to a 13-3 season and a Super Bowl appearance. In all, Manning led this Broncos’ team to one of the most impressive offenses in all of NFL history.
Furthermore, the rest of Manning’s career is just as impressive. He holds NFL records, just to name a few, for highest yards per game in a season (342.31, 2013), most seasons with 4,500+ yards (2004, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013), most consecutive seasons with 3,500+ yards (1998-2010), most games with 3+ touchdowns (84, 1998-2013) and many others. Manning has earned the NFL MVP award more times than anyone else (five). He has also won a Super Bowl with the Indianapolis Colts, and he won Super Bowl MVP that year as well. By all measures, Manning has had a very successful football career.
Manning, though, is a class-act off of the field as well. His teammates and coaches often regard him as one of the hardest-working players in the NFL today. Along with that, Manning is as humble and gracious as they come. Despite the heartbreaking loss this past Super Bowl, Manning still took the time to sign autographs after the game. Also, Richard Sherman, cornerback for the Seattle Seahawks, reported that after the Super Bowl, Manning took the time to ask him about his injury. Not very many players would be so courteous after such a loss.
It just goes to show Manning’s true character.
I will be the first to tell you that Manning is not perfect. He has an 11-12 career record in the postseason. Will Peyton Manning go down in history as the greatest postseason quarterback of all time? No. But does that make him any less impressive as a player? It shouldn’t.
Manning is a future Hall of Fame player and deserves the respect that comes with that. To completely discredit his legacy because he lost this last game is an insult to not only those of us who look up to him, but a major affront to Manning himself. Peyton Manning is one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game and one of the classiest and most humble players you will ever meet, so give him the respect he has earned.
