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 Broncos General Manager John Elway told reporters on Tuesday he
believes the 38-year-old Manning, who led Denver to a Super Bowl
berth and three division titles since joining the team in 2012, has
another season left in him.
"The bottom line is we want him back and it's going to come down to
what Peyton wants to do," said Elway, adding that he will give
Manning a month consider his plans.
"I did have a great conversation with Peyton (on Monday). We talked
about the game. I said, 'The last thing we're going to do at this
point in time, having been through what you've been through, is talk
about your future.'
"I told him, 'Just know how much we want you back, but you need time
to get away from this.'"
 Manning, a five-time league most valuable player chasing a second
Super Bowl title, completed 26 of 46 passes for 211 yards and one
touchdown in his team's 24-13 divisional playoff loss to the
Indianapolis Colts.
After the game, when Manning was asked by reporters if he would be
back next season, the record-setting quarterback was noncommittal
about returning to Denver for a fourth season.
Elway confirmed reports that Manning played Sunday's game with a
thigh injury but did not comment on the severity of it.
"He did have a strain in one quad but he said it felt fine," said
Elway. "Whether he reinjured it during the game or not, I don’t
know. I don’t know how much it did affect him or didn’t affect him."
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Elway, who was speaking less than 24 hours after the Broncos parted
ways with head coach John Fox, said he wants the team's next head
coach to already have a Super Bowl win on his resume.
Elway said the thing that most hurt about the loss to the Colts was
the Broncos did not go down "kicking and screaming."
He said the team would evaluate every player in the coming days and,
with so many players entering free agency, did not rule out
wholesale changes, especially on the offensive line.
(This version of the story corrects sixth paragraph to show Manning
has five MVPs, not four)
(Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina; Editing by Frank
Pingue)
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