This might help to explain things. Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning played in Sunday’s loss and the past month of the season with a torn right quad, two sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). The tear, which was first suffered during Denver’s December 14th win over the Chargers, was confirmed by an MRI (link).
- A team source tells Troy E. Renck of The Denver Post that Manning played with a strained quad, not a full tear.
- Now that the Denver’s season is over, the Raiders are expected to try to meet again with Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio for a second interview, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Oakland inquired about interviewing him last week, only to be told that the rules wouldn’t allow for it (link).
- Manning is due $19MM next year, which would be tough for any player to pass up, writes Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com. And, as much as he struggled Sunday and showed cracks throughout the second half of the season, Manning still finished second in the NFL in touchdowns.
- The plain and harsh truth is that Manning is done, writes Mark Kiszla of The Denver Post. Manning could return for 2015 to take another crack at winning it all with the Broncos, Kiszla writes, but it would be a fool’s errand.
- There could be a number of roster changes in store for the Broncos, as Mike Klis and Troy E. Renck of The Denver Post write. “That’s one of the toughest parts of this,” defensive tackle Terrance Knighton said. “Right now, if I knew I had another year under my belt, I would be thinking revenge already. But I don’t know how things are going to work. I hope to be here for the rest of my career, but I know how the business part affects things.”