The Denver Broncos edged out the New England Patriots on Sunday, sending Peyton Manning to the Super Bowl for the fourth time in his career. After the game, Manning and Patriots head coach Bill Belichick met on the field. The NFL got some of the audio, and it's kind of a big deal. As you can see below, Manning said "This might be my last rodeo" and wanted to thank Belichick. Plenty could still change, but odds seem pretty good that Manning calls it a career soon.
Their 20th career showdown? Might've been the last. So Peyton met Belichick at midfield and... wow #NFLPlayoffs https://t.co/YvvkE6Wxyw
— NFL (@NFL) January 26, 2016
The Denver Broncos benched Manning at one point this, due to some combination of injury and ineffectiveness, depending on who you ask. Brock Osweiler took over, and while he had some solid moments, his own inconsistency led to him being benched in Week 17. Manning moved back into the lineup and started the Broncos first two playoff games. He'll start Super Bowl 50, and it very well could mark the end of his storied career. Will we see Manning announce his retirement after the Super Bowl, or does he wait and think things over?
The next step for the Broncos would be an interesting one. It appeared Osweiler was being groomed to be the next starter, but his future is tenuous right now. The team could go all in with Osweiler this offseason, or they could look for additional options. Colin Kaepernick could certainly be on their radar for a potential trade, but we won't really get a better handle on this until March approaches.