Peyton Manning Signed by NFL Denver Broncos
Ahead of the 2012-13 NFL Season, the Denver Broncos are the 8th betting favorites to win Super Bowl XLVII at most land and online sportsbooks, but the team from Colorado may well have an even better chance of lifting the Vince Lombardi trophy after signing up top-rated quarterback, Peyton Manning.
Despite the fact that Manning failed to play a single game for his former team the Indianapolis Colts last season due to a long recovery from neck surgery, after he was released from his contract, NFL franchises were lined up around the block to sign arguably one of the most talented quarterbacks in the NFL in recent years.
And the 36-year-old didn't have to sell his services, given how last season his former team failed to win more than 10 games for the first time since Manning joined the team as a rookie in 1998, finishing on a disappointing 2-14 without his contribution. That shocking result only served to underscore the quarterback's value.
Manning had his Pick of Teams in the Offseason
Which is why in the offseason Manning had his pick of teams, money being no object for those willing to put their fate in the hands of a player renowned for his consistency and ability to bring out the best in the players around him. In the end Manning chose a 5-year contract worth a whopping $96 million with the Denver Broncos.
Here's what the Broncos are getting for their money:
A four-time NFL MVP who has been to the Super Bowl twice, winning one of them (Super Bowl XLI), as well as a player who has played in the Pro Bowl 11 times, and is a shoe-in to become a Hall of Famer. And on a personal level, most NFL players, managers and officials who know Manning describe him as a truly good guy.
He is a supporter of many charities, a committed husband and father and not afraid to poke fun at himself, his many amusing TV commercials and stint as a Saturday Night Live host proof of this.
Manning's Health May Be Very Fragile
On the downside, however, the Broncos may have bought themselves a playmaker and game winner in Manning, but he is after all 36, an age most NFL quarterbacks are retired by. If he was 100 percent healthy, most people would agree that Denver got a sweet deal. But the truth is that Manning's health may be his Achilles Heel, so to speak.
It's no secret that all neck injuries are serious and recover in their own good time, demonstrated by Manning's absence all of last season. And although he has reportedly been given a clean bill of health by his medical team, who knows what a bad tackle or a particularly nasty sack could do to his undoubtedly fragile neck?
So it will be very interesting to see how the quarterback's season with the Denver Broncos turns out. The Broncos are set to kick off the new season on Sunday, September 9th when they host the Pittsburgh Steelers at 8:20pm ET, and no doubt all eyes will be on Manning, to watch him play for the first time in over a year.
