In 2012, perhaps the greatest regular season quarterback the NFL has ever seen was convinced to climb up to 5280 by Hall of Famer – and Denver Broncos V.P. of football operations/G.M. – John Elway.
What followed was a transformation from a Tim Tebow-led, gimmicky, bite your nails and wait for the final play team, to an NFL record setting offense and a continual national spotlight. Attendance at Sports Authority Field at Mile High was hard to come by for those not holding season ticket rights, and expensive on the secondary market . Peyton Manning’s career resurrection from multiple neck surgeries (that had led to his release from the Indianapolis Colts, and availability for Denver) was unparalleled in not only the Broncos’ record books, but the NFL’s as well.
His 2013 season in particular saw him obliterate records both long-standing, and some still holding that “new record smell”.
NFL single-season record for touchdown passes: 55. (All-time great, and yearly nemesis, Tom Brady had thrown 50 in 2007)
NFL record for most points in a season: 606. (This was two touchdowns and a field goal better than the 2007 Patriots. Satisfaction aplenty erasing Tom Brady from the top spot here too)
NFL single-season record for passing yards: 5,477 (He beat Drew Brees’ old record by ONE yard, and had to wait for the NFL to review a play that some deemed a lateral, and thus would have negated the record)
(July 15, 2014 - Source: Kevin Winter/Getty Images North America)
NFL record for most games with four or more touchdown passes in a season: 9. (Hall of Famer Dan Marion had SIX in 1984. That record stood for 27 years, and Manning bettered it by 33%. Just for extra emphasis)
(T) NFL record for most games with 400 or more passing yards in a season: 4. (Manning tied another 27 year old, Marino-held record here. Though he almost had 6: 397 against the Titans and 386 against the Colts)
(T) NFL record for most 50-point games in a season: 3. (The Broncos hung 50+ points three games in 2013. The 1969 Vikings, the 1966 Cowboys, the 1950 Rams and the 1950 Giants are the only other teams to ever have done this. Sadly, all five of these teams failed to win a championship.)
Ah, but wasn’t it grand? The Broncos went on to crack the skulls of the San Diego Chargers, before kicking Mr. Brady’s bunch out of Sports Authority Field in the AFC Championship game. The Broncos then played in their seventh Super Bowl…losing for the 5th time in blow-out fashion. A beating that Elway could relate to all too well. 55-10. Enough said there.
The checkbook was opened by Mr. Elway and the defense brought in some enforcers in DeMarcus Ware, T.J. ‘Boss’ Ward and Aqib Talib (all Pro Bowl players in their first seasons in Denver) and the offense was expected to pick up where it left off.
Through the first 9 games, it seemed the plan had worked. 7-2, losses only to the two teams that would eventually play in Super Bowl XLIX. Thanks mostly to a 22 point drubbing in Foxborough, the average margin of victory for Seattle and New England was 14 points. Not exactly confidence building.
Then came the 15 point loss two weeks later to the hapless St. Louis Rams that saw 7 points mustered. After that embarrassing loss, the ball was taken out of Mr. Manning’s hands and placed into those of 2nd year, undrafted runner C.J. Anderson. This was four games before the reported injuries (strained quads in both legs) Manning sustained in San Diego in week 15, and hobbled him for the rest of the season.
The team was imploding from within. Moreover, the Broncos’ massive shift in offensive philosophy from pass-happy to ground’n'pound saw them with escape-style victories over the likes of the Dolphins and Bills and were manhandled by the Bengals.
Friction over the new-found emphasis on the running game led to a reported rift between the coaching staff and Manning, thereby between the coaches and management.
2015 free agent Pro Bowl tight end Julius Thomas blistered opponents for 12 touchdowns through 9 games. An NFL record. Perhaps by no coincidence, he played in only four more games the rest of the season amassing 5 catches for 66 yards. Reportedly, this caused some within the coaching staff, management and the huddle (some stating Manning in particular) to question his toughness.
Fast forward to present state of Bronco Nation. Mr Manning’s status in particular.
The entire coaching staff of Manning’s bittersweet ‘boom or bust’ run in Denver is gone. They now prep for 2015 enjoying the loving sting of the winds off Lake Michigan, while steeling themselves for the frustrations that come with former Broncos Jay Cutler and (WR) Brandon Marshall.
Manning’s last playoff loss to his former team, the Indianapolis Colts, came by way of a 24-13 defeat that was not even as close as the 11 point differential would purport. Manning made multiple desperation throws to Demaryius Thomas that either sailed, dropped short or were found in a different zip code. Devastating to “the Sherriff” no doubt. Worse? He was reportedly met by his 3 year old twins, Marshall and Mosley, after the defeat. Marshall was said to be in tears as he ran to his father.
Manning is expected back by Mr. Elway. Manning himself says he is ready to be the Broncos QB for 2015, reportedly healthy and hungry. So where is this team and its assumed starting quarterback heading?
Manning is soon to be 39. There is a whole new coaching staff (led by Broncos legacy Gary Kubiak) that will employ an offensive system that Manning has never run. There is little hope of returning to the deepest areas of the playoffs, let alone winning a championsip. I challenge the reader to find one team that has ever won a Super Bowl with a 39 year old quarterback. Additionally, a team with an entirely new coaching staff. So why the urgency to return?
Brett Favre.
(Esquire Magazine, 1997)
Manning already has already passed Favre for career touchdowns (530) and now sees only 2147 passing yards and 8 wins to surpass Favre in those two categories. That seems to be the reality of the motivation driving Manning’s return.
Legacy.
Donald Miralle, Getty Images
He is already, arguably, the best regular season quarterback in NFL history. Postseason? Not so much.
No other Super Bowl winning quarterback in NFL history has a worse winning percentage in the postseason than Manning. His 11-13 (.458) record puts him in the unfortunate company of two great quarterbacks, both Hall of Famers. Dan Marino (.444) and Warren Moon (.300) are the only other quarterbacks to play ten or more playoff games, and lose more than Manning.
The careers of the NFL’s greatest players are puzzles. When viewed upon their completion, as a whole? Grand murals. Manning’s final mural is incomplete. This writer fears that some of its ugliest pieces are yet to be inserted. Specifically the pieces that will paint him as a 39 year old quarterback, driven purely by hubris to acquire the statistics that will potentially cement himself as the best to ever pick up the ball.
In the regular season anyway.