Peyton Manning was playing with a strained quad, an injury he sustained Dec. 14 against the Chargers. (Tim Rasmussen, The Denver Post)
Peyton Manning had been on the Broncos’ injury report every week since he injured his thigh in a Dec. 14 game at San Diego. His teammates, and everyone else, were aware that he was banged up. Heck, at that point in the season, many of them were injured, too.
But none of the Broncos players who spoke to reporters Monday, less than a day after their season-ending loss to the Colts, were aware that he was .
All were asked. All had no idea. And all refused to speculate on whether the veteran QB would be back in an orange and blue uniform next year:
C.J. Anderson, RB: “Super tough. Torn quad or strain? It’s not normal. You need your legs to throw. That’s just amazing that he went through that. If he wins, he’s a hero. If he loses, everybody bashes him. But there’s no one I’d rather play with than No. 18.
“I respected him as a player and as a person already, but it just gives you more respect when you hear and see things of that nature.”
Orlando Franklin, G: “I just knew that he had a quad injury in that San Diego game. I don’t know the extent of his injury. I’m not a trainer. I know everybody’s a bit banged up towards the end of the season. We’re all in there doing treatment and rehab so you never really know exactly what’s going on with each other.
“I know that we’re football players and at a young age you’re taught to deal with pain and you’re going to do whatever you can to get out there and just put your team in the best situation and position to win.”
Brock Osweiler, QB: “I knew he was injured. I didn’t know to what extent. Obviously I had seen him getting treatment and things like that, but at the end of the day, I think it’s just a true testament to his character and his toughness, to battle through that injury and to be out there playing.”
Jacob Tamme, TE: “I know he’s been dinged up for a while. He’s been grinding. We have a lot of guys that have stuff going on with their bodies, this last quarter of the year, especially. It’s like that every year. At 38 years old, I’m sure he hasn’t been feeling perfect for a while.”
T.J. Ward, S: “I didn’t know about any injury. I thought we were going in 100 (percent). I thought we got a lot of guys back, including myself. I thought we were prepared and (the Colts) just outplayed us.”
