Peyton Manning Introductory Press Conference Quotes (3/20/12)

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Patrick Smyth, Executive Director of Media Relations (patrick.smyth@broncos.nfl.net / 303‐264‐5536) Rebecca Villanueva, Media Services Manager ([email protected] / 303‐264‐5598) Erich Schubert, Media Relations Coordinator ([email protected] / 303‐264‐5503)

PEYTON MANNING INTRODUCTORY PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES (3/20/12)

OWNER AND CEO PAT BOWLEN

“Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. This is a very historic meeting today. We’re very fortunate to have two Hall of Fame quarterbacks in this room. One is already in. The other is definitely going in after he retires. Peyton is one of the best ever to play this game. I feel very fortunate to have him here. Our goal has always been to win Super Bowls; Peyton gives us a chance to win another world championship. I’m thrilled that he has decided to become a Denver Bronco. This is a great day for me, personally, and for our organization, our city and our fans.”

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF FOOTBALL OPERATIONS JOHN ELWAY

“Before we bring Peyton up here, I just want to welcome everybody and just reiterate what Mr. Bowlen just said; it was just over a year ago when I was fortunate enough to have the job that I have now, and one of the things he said when I took this job was, ‘I want to compete for Super Bowls.’ I was dead honest with him and I said, ‘I’m not going to take the job unless we have that opportunity.’ I will say this, we’re all so fortunate to work for a guy like Pat Bowlen because, as he said, his goal is to win world championships and he’s the one that creates the culture and everything that goes on in this building and that’s all about winning and winning world championships. I’d like to say without the commitment of Mr. Bowlen, we wouldn’t have Peyton here today. I think what Peyton saw on his trip here when he got to know everybody and met everybody in the building and got a feel for the culture of what we have here in Denver, he spent time in Denver and realizes what a great fan base we have and how enthusiastic our fans are about the Denver Broncos. Really, we didn’t try to sell him hard. We wanted him to feel comfortable here and a place he would want to come and work. We’re so fortunate that he picked the Denver Broncos. I believe that he has a lot of great football left in him and we’ve had many conversations not only when he was on his visit, but the week after that in talking different things about football and what he was looking for and what we could give him. As I said, we’re thrilled that he’s elected to play for the Denver Broncos. We think it’s a great situation. He’s a guy, as Pat said, that is a Hall of Famer. What I told him in the process was my goal is to make Peyton Manning the best quarterback that has ever played the game and he’s got that ability with the football he has left. He’s going to have that ability and we told him we’re going to do everything we can to compete for world championships. It starts with Mr. [Bowlen] and now it starts with Peyton and he’s a guy that raises our boats. He’s a guy that will make our team, and has already made our team better and they haven’t all met him yet, just the kind of person he is, his reputation, and what he’s done in this league. He will have a tremendous effect on the Denver Broncos and I couldn’t be happier that he’s chose to play for us. With that said, I’ll introduce the next quarterback of the Denver Broncos, Peyton Manning.”

“Thank you very much, John. Thank you, Mr. Bowlen. I’m very excited to begin the next chapter of my playing career with the Denver Broncos. Starting with Mr. Bowlen, I can tell this organization is committed to winning. The Broncos, they do have incredible fans that love this team, and this truly is a special football environment and I am glad to be a part of it. I really appreciate and am grateful for the time that was given to me by several very impressive organizations and individuals throughout this process. In the end, I felt the Broncos were just a great fit. I always have had a great deal of respect for John Elway. He’s one of the best quarterbacks to ever play and his knowledge and respect for the game is evident in everything he does. Talking football with John and with Coach Fox and his staff helped me realize that this is a great place to be. I called John Elway on Monday morning and let him know that I wanted to be a Denver Bronco. I am thrilled to be here and I’m looking forward to meeting my new teammates and doing everything I can to help this franchise win another Super Bowl.

“I’m going to wear No. 18 for the Broncos. I had the privilege of speaking with Frank Tripucka this morning. It really goes against everything I believe in being a guy who appreciates the history of football and I believe when a number is retired it should stay retired; but in talking to Frank Tripucka, I feel he really wants me to wear his number. It was a very humbling conversation and I am honored to wear his number, being another quarterback for the Denver Broncos as Mr. Tripucka was back years ago as the first quarterback to play here. It truly is an honor for me and I’m really following his wishes to wear it because that’s what he wants me to do and I’m honored to do that. So, thank you very much and I will be glad to answer your questions.”

On when he knew he would become a Denver Bronco “I woke up Monday morning and at first I called two other teams that had kind of gotten down to finalists in this process and let them know, like I said earlier, I truly appreciate the time that they took with me and I really enjoyed talking football with some other teams throughout this process. I think the NFL is in great shape with some great owners, great coaches and great people in leadership. That was exciting for me, but I had my first visit here. I felt very comfortable here. The thing with Coach Fox, as John [Elway] had already talked about, is that both sides had to be comfortable. If neither side was comfortable, then I think winning probably wouldn’t follow. So I felt very comfortable here, John and Coach Fox felt comfortable, and hopefully that leads to many wins.”

On the deciding factors “There really wasn’t one deciding factor. I really felt—the tough decisions I’ve had to make, where to go to college, whether to stay or go my senior year—you have options and you really believe that you can make any of them work. I’ve always believed that it’s up to me and the people here around me to make this the right decision. It will be speculated on and debated for months to come, whether it was the right decision or not. I will go out and try to make it the right decision. I’m looking forward to getting to work right away. I will get to work with the strength staff and the training staff right after this press conference ends to go to work and stay here through the week and try to get situated. That’s what I’m looking forward to, is going to work, and I can tell that Denver was committed to winning and I’m glad they wanted me to be a part of that.”

On his family’s input on the decision “Like I said, everything about Denver, the time I’ve spent out here and they have great football fans. I’ve really spent a lot of time on the football side of it. Sitting down with [Offensive Coordinator Mike] McCoy and [Quarterbacks] Coach [Adam] Gase and Coach Fox talking football and talking offensive philosophy and those are the things I really wanted to get comfortable with. I knew these guys knew what they were doing and were committed to winning and that was very important to me.”

On how his relationship with John Elway factored into his decision “Certainly I have had a relationship with John and it goes back a long way, but I’ve seen John now in a different role. I’ve always seen him as a quarterback, never had to play against him, but that’s always the role I saw him as. Now I’ve seen him as a leader of a franchise and I really like what he had to say. Everyone knows what kind of competitor he is as a player, and I can tell he is just as competitive in this new role. That got me excited, I know he’s going to do everything he can do to help this franchise win and it certainly helps with leadership at the top in Mr. Bowlen. Coach Fox is a guy I have known a long time. I know he’s hungry to win. I’m just looking forward to being a part of that.”

©2012 Denver Broncos Football Club. All rights reserved. The individual quotes cited in this document may be used for the purpose of news reporting and other fair uses as defined by Section 107 of the Copyright Act. Duplication or posting of this quote sheet, in its entirety, or any other use of this material which is not a fair use as defined by Section 107 of the Copyright Act is strictly prohibited without the prior written consent of the Denver Broncos Football Club. On the process of joining a new team “It’s certainly very different. There’s no question about it and this will take some time for me to get comfortable with, but there’s no question about it that this is all new to me. You’re talking about a guy that was with one team for 14 years, the only team that I worked out with really for the draft, the only team I took a visit to. The Indianapolis Colts are the only team that I’ve ever known. I told John Elway and Coach Fox that I will need their help to kind of get me through this transition. I know they’re going to help me in this process. I think the sooner I get started going to work, going to lift weights, going to my new locker, putting on some Denver Broncos gear, getting going—that will make this process easier for me. The process took some time, it’s over. I hated that I took time from other teams and sort of put them in tough positions. I hate that about it, but it’s over and I did the due process to find out what made the sense. I’ve let all that pass over with and it’s time to get down to football now.”

On what he knows about what the Broncos’ offense will look like “Like I said, that’s for John Elway and his staff and Coach Fox. I know they’re going to put guys in a position help us win. All I want is to be a part of it. I do not want [to be] and I am not going to be an offensive coordinator. I’m not going to be involved in personnel decisions, not in the least bit. That’s what these guys are here to do and these guys are great at that. I am here simply to be a teammate. I’m looking forward to getting with my teammates and doing whatever I can to help this team win in whatever way that is. That’s all I want to do and I’m looking forward to starting that right away.”

On possibly duplicating John Elway’s success late in his career “I think certainly John knows what it’s like to play quarterback at the ages of 35 and 36 and so certainly that helps. There’s no question that it’s going to be a team process. Everybody has to do their role and I have to do my role. I accept great responsibility in being the best player I can be to help this team win, but I’m going to use the resources around me and I will need their help. I was telling John Elway and Coach Fox and all the other teammates I’m looking forward to getting to know and Coach McCoy and Coach Gase. It’s going to be a team effort, that’s the only way this thing is going to get done.”

On whether anything short of a Super Bowl will be considered a success “That’s why we all play this game; there’s no question about that. That’s why you work hard in the offseason every single year, why you lift weights, why you go through training camp, that’s the goal. That’s what I’ve always tried to do every single year. Knowing that I don’t have 15 years left to throw a football, I certainly feel that sense of urgency. That’s what I want to do and that’s what the Denver Broncos want to do. Hopefully we can all do that together.”

On how his rehab is coming along “There’s no question that I have work to do. I’ve been very open with the Broncos and really all the teams about my medical history and where I was, about how I feel. I was going to let them tell me. I put all the cards on the table working out for three teams and going through my entire medical history, not just this past year. I couldn’t sell myself when it came to that, I had to let them tell me and decide if this was something they wanted to do. What was encouraging to me was all the teams that I talked to in that process said they wanted to go forward. I’m not where I want to be. I want to be where I was before I was injured. I wish I never was injured. I know I need the training staff and the weights staff help me to get where I want to be. Like I said, as soon as this is over I’m going to start right away on that process. I have a lot of work to do to get where I want to be from a health standpoint and learning this offense. It’s going to take a ton of work, so the sooner I can get started the better. It’s a challenge that I look forward to meeting and I will need the help of those around me to get those goals done.”

On whether he will be able to participate in minicamps “I certainly hope so. It’s hard to really give a timetable or a prediction. That’s one thing that I’d rather not do. I want to be out there every single snap, every single play at the minicamps and the OTAs. With the new rules this year, they’re limited. They’re probably more important than they have been in the past just because you don’t get that many of them. That’s what I want to do and that’s my goal. I look forward to getting started on that, but the doctors and the trainers are very encouraged about where I am and the progress that I’ve made and I like hearing that. Hopefully we can keep on that path.”

©2012 Denver Broncos Football Club. All rights reserved. The individual quotes cited in this document may be used for the purpose of news reporting and other fair uses as defined by Section 107 of the Copyright Act. Duplication or posting of this quote sheet, in its entirety, or any other use of this material which is not a fair use as defined by Section 107 of the Copyright Act is strictly prohibited without the prior written consent of the Denver Broncos Football Club. On how the quarterback situation in Denver affected his decision “We didn’t really have any conversations in respect to the quarterback position. I know there are decisions to be made. I’m going to say this: I know what kind of player Tim Tebow is and what kind of person he is. I’ve gotten to meet him in person one time and what an awesome year he had this year. If Tim Tebow is here next year, I’m going to be the best teammate I can be to him and he and I are going to help this team win games. If other opportunities present themselves for him, I’m going to wish him the best. He’s going to be a great player wherever he is. Those are decisions that have to be made by other people. Those aren’t my decisions and those conversations never did come up and this is a place where I wanted to come and play football, and help this team win in whatever role or capacity that is.”

On whether he has reached out to Tim Tebow “I’m sure I will. I have not yet. I really haven’t had a whole lot of time to breathe. This really happened since just Monday morning. I’m getting to know all my Bronco teammates. I met [WR] Eric Decker on my visit. [DE] Elvis Dumervil and [CB] Champ Bailey have been blowing up my phone. Hopefully that will die down a little bit and I can get to know them in person. There are not many other Bronco players here that I know personally, so Tim [Tebow], Von Miller, D.T. [WR Demaryius Thomas] all these guys, getting to know the offensive line, that’s exciting to me. It’s all so new to me and I look forward to that and I think this will make me more and more comfortable through this process.”

On former teammates who are free agents possibly joining the Broncos “There is never a teammate that I’ve had that I didn’t want to play with for the rest of my life. I’ve always said that. The guys who have played in Indianapolis, it’s hard to see them retire or get traded or move on, and every player, as John will tell you, you want to play with that guy forever. I know there are some players out there that the Broncos are looking at. They’ve asked about those players and I told them exactly how I felt about the great teammates that I’ve had. Once again, when it comes to personnel, that’s just not my department. I know they are going to do whatever it takes to get the best players here to help us win games and that’s all I want. I know they’ll do the right thing for the organization, so we’ll see what happens with that.”

On whether he will help the Broncos with their draft strategy “These guys have more experience in that than I do. They know all the needs this team really has and so if they say they need a player at this position to help us win, I’m going to be all for it. Don’t get me wrong, sure I want them to draft offensive players, I’m not going to lie about that, but it’s what’s best for the team and whatever they feel is best. They’ve been working on their draft for some time now before I got here, so whoever they decide to pick will be the best player to help the team win and I’m all for that.”

On the amount of time he took to make a decision “I wanted to know right away. I really did. I didn’t know until Tuesday before the Wednesday press conference that I for sure wasn’t going to be in Indianapolis. So, this has hit me fast. Coming into a new facility—the Broncos were the first facility—it felt strange being in a new locker room. I just haven’t been anywhere else. So, it did take time for me to kind of get my feet planted on the ground. I think John [Elway] could sense what I was feeling having been in one facility his entire career. So, he could relate, and I think he knew it was going to take some time for me to get through the process and get to know people, to talk some football with people and get a feel for the environment and the atmosphere. I did that, and I’m sorry that it took long. I didn’t know the baseline for what it was. The baseline for me was to feel good about a decision and to go out there and make the right decision I had to do at this point.”

On the Broncos’ history as an organization “I certainly took the last couple days to learn some of the history of the Denver Broncos and the great players and the great teams that they’ve had. I am a guy that appreciates that, so I’m proud to be in the AFC still. I’ve always been an AFC guy. I certainly was considering some teams in the NFC, and I tried to just get a feel. I feel that any place I could have picked I could have been comfortable there, but Denver, I just had a really good feel here. I’m proud to still be in the AFC. I’m proud to be a Denver Bronco.”

On if he could play a game this Sunday “Could I play a game this Sunday? Yeah, I could. I don’t know if I would play as well as I’d like, but yes, I could play. I could go out there and do it. I don’t know if you’d call it high standards or what, but I want to keep working and get back to where I was. I’m not supposed to be where I want to be at this point. It is March, and I have a hard time reminding myself of that. John [Elway] and Coach [John] Fox and “Greek” [Head Athletic Trainer Steve Antonopulos], the trainer and Luke [Richesson], the strength coach, these guys are going to remind me of that and set up a plan for me to follow that plan. I do know it was important for me to get back into a facility and get back into a routine. The workouts, not being able to get into a facility, traveling here or there, that part wasn’t productive for me. I’m excited that I can get back into a routine, and hopefully that can put me on the right track.”

On the Broncos’ wide receivers “They’re young and talented. I’ve played with guys that age before. I can tell by watching these guys on tape that they love football. They’re excited about it. That’s all rewarding to me, getting on the same page with these receivers in the offseason and seeing that come together on the playing field. I look forward to that part of it, getting together and talking football. These guys are going to have to help me too. I will lean on them. I’m the new guy here.”

On WR Demaryius Thomas being the largest receiver he’s played with “Yes, he is. He’s big. That will be something new and exciting for me. The guy’s got a ton of talent and a ton of potential. I’m looking forward to helping him. I’m looking forward to having him help me as well.”

On arranging workouts with other players “Certainly, the rules have changed in terms of what you’re allowed to do in the NFL, so I sort of need to get some clarity on that. But I’m going to do whatever I can to get with these guys and talk with these guys. I know a lot of it has to be on your own, what you can do. The sooner we can get started on that, the better for me.”

On how his injury affects him “It’s very hard. I never complain though. I have nothing to complain about. I had 20 years of a pretty unbelievable streak of health going back to high school. There are a lot of players that have missed a significant amount of time. This is the first time it’s happened to me, so I decided to learn from it. It was hard not being out there. It was hard seeing our team not winning games. That was definitely a challenge. I know I missed it. I know how much I want to be back out there playing ball again. I know how hard I’ve worked to just get to this point from a health standpoint, and how much I need to work.”

On how many more years he plans to play “I’m planning on playing for a long time. I realize that I don’t have 14 years left by any means, but at the same time, this isn’t something that I’m building a foundation for. This is a now situation. We’re trying to win now. We’re going to do whatever we can to win right now, and that’s all I’m thinking about—getting back to the way I want to be and trying to win now.”

On how many passes he threw for teams he worked out for “I don’t have a specific number. I threw probably 60 or something passes and then I asked if there was anything more that I needed to throw. I just kind of threw what I thought they wanted to see. I really was about as open‐booked as I can. I told them some things that bothered me, some things that I’m working through. I let them see it. I’m not some of these college guys, some of these agents that come in and script the workout to protect the guy. I was wide open. ‘This is where I am. This is what I’m doing. This is what I have to work on. You tell me, are you still interested or not?’ That’s it. I felt good about that. I felt kind of liberated a little bit. There was so much unknown. ‘What’s his health? What are the doctors saying? How is he throwing?’ So, doing it for three different teams, and having them all say something somewhat similar, that made me feel good. Maybe they are interested, and maybe this thing can work. That’s kind of how that went.”

On if this is the last time he will go through free agency “Absolutely. This process was hard; it was difficult. I tried to embrace it. It was hard because it was so public and the way it worked out. At times, I said, ‘just pick one and get it over with,’ but that is not the right reason to make a choice. It’s got to feel right and that kind of gut feeling that I kept waiting on and I was glad when that hit me. [Free agency is] not what I want to do. I want to be in one facility and working out, lifting weights, focusing football and winning games. I am glad that I can do that part now and look forward to doing the best that I can.”

On when the final decision was made “I slept on it hard Sunday night and then Monday morning I woke up and put the word out.”

On if he plans to retire a Bronco “Yes.”

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF FOOTBALL OPERATIONS JOHN ELWAY

On how Manning’s health issues were addressed “Well obviously we knew that was a key point. When we first started talking to Peyton that we knew that was an issue. Then we flew down to Duke a week ago, or six days ago and we took the doctors with us and “Greek,” our trainer, and they all felt great about the situation of where Peyton was and feel great about where he is going to be. I relayed that to Mr. Bowlen as well as [President] Joe Ellis and the situation that we are in; it shows that we really felt he was ready to go. I don’t consider it much of a risk knowing Peyton Manning. As he said, his willingness to tell us anything—he told us everything, exactly how he was feeling and what he thought. I will tell you this: The thing that got me is I asked him, ‘Peyton, is there any doubt in your mind that you can get back to the Peyton Manning that we know of?’ He said, ‘There is no doubt in my mind.’ When he said that and when all the doctors backed it all up, that’s when we knew we could hopefully land him and have him become a Bronco.”

On agreeing to contract terms with Manning “I think that through this whole process, what was great about it was the relationship and ability to talk to Peyton. I flat‐out told Peyton, ‘What we can do as an organization, we want to do something that is very fair from both sides. I don’t want you to risk your life and I can’t risk the Denver Broncos so there has to be a happy medium somewhere on both sides of that.’ The basis of the contract and what Peyton wanted and the idea that when he said he was going to come here, putting that contract together was easy. We wanted to be fair to both sides. He understood the risks that the Broncos were taking and we understood him as a quarterback and the protection that he wanted in the process. Having been one and having been in his shoes, I would know what I would want from his side. Therefore, the deal came together very easily. Peyton was very good with the whole thing; that was very seamless.

On meeting with Manning the first time he visited Denver “Obviously we were anxious. Anytime you have the chance to get a player of Peyton Manning’s caliber to come in and play quarterback for you, that is something that we wanted to happen. I think that we didn’t know when a decision was going to come. One of the conversations when Peyton was here the first time on his first visit, we went to Cherry Hills and were sitting there talking about it. I could tell that anytime you go through as a quarterback, you go through one place—I put myself in his shoes, if I was a Denver Bronco and after 14 years, I was no longer with the Broncos and I was going to go play somewhere else. I felt that a little bit when I retired, that all of a sudden you lose that separation. The difference between retirement and what Peyton went through is that he was going to be able to go forward but I understood where he was coming from in the fact that it had to shock his body. It had to shock his body, especially when you are planning on being in one place for your whole career, like I’m sure he wanted to be in Indianapolis his whole career because of what he created there and then the circumstances arose where that couldn’t happen. I told Peyton, ‘Take your time. We are going to do the best that we can. We are going to be here and we hope it’s us, but if not, we have a plan. Get comfortable with the decision and make sure you pick the right place for Peyton Manning.’ Obviously we are selfish and wanted him to be a Denver Bronco but the bottom line is it was less selfish to ©2012 Denver Broncos Football Club. All rights reserved. The individual quotes cited in this document may be used for the purpose of news reporting and other fair uses as defined by Section 107 of the Copyright Act. Duplication or posting of this quote sheet, in its entirety, or any other use of this material which is not a fair use as defined by Section 107 of the Copyright Act is strictly prohibited without the prior written consent of the Denver Broncos Football Club. want Peyton to pick the right place for him because of what he did for the NFL as a whole, not only as a football player but as a human being. As an organization, we didn’t want to pressure him in any way. We wanted to be there to answer any questions and keep the lines of communication open but didn’t want to be in his lap the whole time because he was going through a tough time and a lot of work. It is a lot of work to travel around and talk to different people, especially having to gotten to know Peyton and how thorough he is in the process, it had to be quite a bit of work. There were a couple times I called him and said, ‘Dude, you need to get some sleep.’ You could tell it was really weighing on him.”

On the offensive philosophies the team will have “When Peyton was here the first time, we talked to [Quarterbacks Coach] Adam Gase and [Offensive Coordinator] Mike McCoy. I sat in there and I think that one of the things—and Coach Fox is flexible on the offensive side—when you think about it, one of the things that you get with Peyton Manning, is not only great physical attributes but the mind that he can bring to the game is really what separates him from everybody. For us to not take advantage of what he has in his mind, would be foolish for us. Mike McCoy had him for days and were wide open and it was great to mend with the philosophy that we do to this point, as well as what Peyton is used to doing. To be able to mend all that together and come out with something special, which I think we will be able to do. The last thing we want to do is not do what Peyton does best and that is use his mind. We are going to try and take advantage of all that.”

On how QB Tim Tebow fits in with the Broncos “We are going through that process now. We are going to look at that. Coach Fox and I called Tim last night and talked to him about it. I think having been in this game as long as I have, and seeing as many friends as I have seen in this game that all of a sudden they are gone one day and another or retire or leave, that this is a tough business. I will tell you the toughest thing about this whole thing is Tim Tebow because of what I think about Tim Tebow. The things that he did last year were tremendous in helping turn this organization around from a 4‐12 team to a playoff team and winning the division. I have a great deal of respect for him as a person and the things that he does. There is no question the hardest thing about this business is the personal side. We just had to make a decision as an organization—myself, Coach Fox, the personnel department, coaches—for what would be the best opportunity to be competitive for a world championship and Peyton Manning was that. That is why we chose to go that direction.”

On if the team is trading Tebow “We don’t know yet; we haven’t gotten that far. We are still in the process and that is a possibility.”

On how Tebow reacted “Obviously he was disappointed; I’m sure he was disappointed. He didn’t come out and say he was disappointed; it was a typical Tim Tebow response in the fact that he was very positive. He said, ‘Well we are talking about Peyton Manning and I understand exactly what you are doing.’ Again, the response was exactly what we know of Tim and that is always being very positive.”

On if they told Tebow he could possibly be traded “Yeah, and he knows that. Now that we have gotten through this process, we will go back and look at that and see what the best thing is for the Broncos.”

On if there have already been discussions with teams “No, there have not.”

On if he will guide Manning “When you’re at the point where Peyton is at in his career, the fun thing is to talk about football and talk about different things, how you see things, how another quarterback sees things. During my career and even now, talking football is what quarterbacks enjoy doing. I am sure that we will have many conversations when it comes down to football. One of the things that when we looked at this, I just know that he is going to play great football. That is when I played my best football, the older I got. [When I was] 37 and 38 were the two best years we had in my career. I just know when you look at Peyton’s track record and his health, it was mentioned earlier, he hasn’t had any other significant injuries. I think with the way he plays the game, we believe he can play as long as he wants. I will tell you this: Knowing Peyton and his wanting to be perfect in everything that he does will probably be the first thing that pops up before his health does.”

On when the decision to pursue Manning was made “It was after his press conference last week that we started talking about it. Then once we got in the process and heard there was some interest form Peyton, that really heightened our interest. I think John [Fox] gave him a call and was able to schedule a visit for that Friday when he came in. After he had his press conference with Indianapolis, we talked about it and heard there was some interest so that’s when we made a phone call.”

On Manning’s phone call that informed the Broncos of his decision “I took the call. Actually, John [Fox] and I were in my office talking about some personnel issues at the time and we were talking about it and I said, ‘Peyton is calling.’ I think we both froze. I said to Peyton, ‘How are you doing?’ because he sounded tired. He [Manning] says, ‘It has kind of been a rough morning because I have had to call these other teams and say that I’m not going to go to work for them.’ I froze and all I thought was, ‘I wonder what number we are. Are we one, two or what?’ He said, ‘No, I just wanted to tell you that I want to come play for the Denver Broncos.’ I went to John and just went like that (makes ‘thumbs‐up’ motion). He started jumping around because he didn’t want to make too much noise while I was on the phone. It was tremendous. It was a great feeling. We are thrilled that he is here and just his work ethic, by our guys knowing that he is on our football team right now, has already made us a better football team because of his reputation that he has created and what he has done in the NFL.”

On what he learned most about this process “I don’t know if there has ever been a time where a Peyton Manning has been a free agent. I guess we would hold it the same in the fact that we were patient and wanted to present the Denver Broncos as we knew what the Denver Broncos were all about, present Mr. Bowlen in the fact that we have an owner who wants to win world championships and the fan base that we have. We represented what the Denver Broncos were all about, what the coach in this building is all about, and we are thrilled that Peyton likes what he saw.”

On if adding Manning changes how the team will build the roster “I think we want to get good anyway, we have always tried to get good. Obviously with where we are, we have some ability to try and do some things. I wouldn’t necessarily say that we are going with a different mindset. We are still attacking the guys that we had targeted with Peyton or without Peyton. The thing I want to do is give our guys and organization the best chance to be successful. If there are guys out there that we know can come in and help us, we want those guys on our football team.”

On what he would say to fans of Tebow “Obviously I played here and I understand what the fans are all about here. To me, the one thing that I have always kept close to my heart is the fact that Denver Broncos fans are in love with the Denver Broncos. Obviously, I want them to understand that I was hired to do a job by Mr. Bowlen. My job is to do the best we can to compete for a world championship; that is what I feel like I’m doing. Like I said, Tim Tebow is a great kid and I said [before], ‘If I want someone to marry my daughter, it would be him.’ I think where we are as an organization…with the opportunity that presented itself here to have Peyton Manning’s service, we had to take advantage of that. Now that that has happened, we have to go back and address Tim and see what the best situation is for the Broncos as well as him. To his fans I would say this: that is the tough part of this business is my responsibility and the role that I’m in. I have to take the personalities out of it. I have to make the best decisions that I can for the Denver Broncos. Without a doubt in my mind, this is the best decision for the Denver Broncos at this point in time. It is always tough, the personal side of this business is always difficult because I have gotten close to players, have gotten close to teammates and you lose teammates to other teams. You go to camp with 80 guys that you make friends with and by the time that you get to the regular season, you’re down to 53. It is a tough business when it comes to that but we are expected to win. We do the best that we can to make the best decisions we can to win.”

On where signing Manning ranks in his career moments “I think it is tremendous. The way that I look at my life, all that other stuff happened as a player. Now in my second career, my second life, this is without a doubt the biggest day of this career. Peyton and I have talked about this, the work is just beginning. Obviously, the expectation level is going to go up but that is where we want it to be, too. Like Peyton said, he has a lot of work to do and we have a lot of work to do as a football team. As a personnel department, we have a lot of work to do. We are going to take it one step at a time; we’re not selling tickets to New Orleans. We are selling tickets to our first preseason game and that is what we are going to try and do in this process through the OTAs and training camp, play that first preseason game and take it one step at a time. Hopefully at the end of the regular season, we will be where we want to be and take it one game after that. We also realize that this guarantees nothing. It guarantees us a chance to work hard and that is what we are going to do.”

On if Manning is ahead of him on the all‐time quarterback list “Is he ahead of me yet? That is for you guys to decide. I know one thing, he has a hell of a lot more yards than I ever had [and] he has more touchdowns. The thing is, we are in the conversation. I would like to get to the place where he is the best of all time.”

On the difference between his role now compared to a player “It is a lot different in the fact that when you are touching the ball, you have a lot more control. But still as a quarterback, when you walk in that huddle, you are still reliant on those other 10 guys in that huddle to do their job. As an offense, you’re only as good as the 10 others around the quarterback. It is really the same position that I am in now. I’m not the quarterback and I don’t touch the ball but I have to rely on everyone around me: the personnel department, the coaches, John Fox, Peyton Manning, guys on that football team. My job is to make the best decisions to put the right guys in the right decisions to be the best that they can do. I enjoy doing that. The difference is that I don’t get to touch it. Is tougher that way? I’m used to touching it. Would I rather touch it? Sure, but I’m 51 or 52.”

On how much he wants to give Tebow an opportunity compete for a starting job somewhere “I would love to be able to do that, just because of the type of guy that Tim Tebow is and the situation and where he is in his career. Obviously, we’re coming off of last year, the competitive side that he has. There’s no question I would love to be able to, whether it be—not knowing what we’re going to do with it—but it would be our goal to put him in the best situation possible for him to have success also.”

On his connection with Manning “Like I said, I think we’ll talk football, obviously, because of the experience that I’ve had, but Peyton gets plenty. His dad played for a long, long time. His brother’s in the game, so to be able to talk football is what it’s all about. Really what I want to do is get the best players around him and give him the best chance to be successful. That’s really what my role is. I think back to when I was going into my 12th year and Mike Shanahan came back, I was excited about that opportunity because I though Mike was going to give us the best opportunity to win championships and put me in the best [situation] as a quarterback to be successful. I take that, my memory of what Mike did for me, and that’s what I want to do for Peyton, give him the best opportunity to be successful.”

On the Broncos’ salary‐cap situation “We had a budget, and it’s been good. I think that we’re in line with who we’ve got targeted, and we want to continue to work on that, but we feel very good with where we are. Obviously, we had some room, and that’s been beneficial to us, so we’re going to continue to target and hopefully get them in the building and get those guys that can help us win.”

©2012 Denver Broncos Football Club. All rights reserved. The individual quotes cited in this document may be used for the purpose of news reporting and other fair uses as defined by Section 107 of the Copyright Act. Duplication or posting of this quote sheet, in its entirety, or any other use of this material which is not a fair use as defined by Section 107 of the Copyright Act is strictly prohibited without the prior written consent of the Denver Broncos Football Club. On how nervous he was about Manning’s decision “I wouldn’t say nervous. I was anxious. I was hopeful that he’d be the guy and that he was going to see what I saw in Denver with John Fox as the head coach and the things that he can do with the football team and also the ability for us to put him in the best situation to be successful. I was just anxious and hopeful that he was going to see that. I wasn’t really nervous. I think if you look at all the teams—and they’re all great teams—they all had their pluses. Everybody had this. I’m sure everybody spent 10 days trying to figure out where Peyton was going because there were positives everywhere. I know that we made the best presentation that we could as far as what the Denver Broncos are about, and as I said, I’m just thrilled that he liked what he saw.”

On having an owner that is committed to winning championships “The bottom line is he’s a competitor. I think one of the reasons that he got in this business was he’s a competitor. He was a triathlete for a long, long time, so the competitive side of him [comes through]. Now, I will say this, he gave us all the resources that he could probably give us to be successful. I said that when I was a player and I say than now in the role that I’m in now. He gives us all the resources he possibly can. The mentality starts at the top. Mr. Bowlen starts that mentality and the fact that football’s No. 1. Business is No. 2. There are a lot of teams in the league where it’s the other way around, but it doesn’t work. If football is No. 1, then you’ve got a chance to be competitive in the NFL, and Mr. Bowlen puts football No. 1, and the business side is No. 2. They feed off each other, but football is No. 1, and that’s what makes the business side go.”

GENERAL MANAGER BRIAN XANDERS (INFORMAL MEDIA AVAILABILITY)

On how Denver’s draft strategy will change with the signing of Peyton Manning “We build off of our team needs and our postseason evaluations with the coaches. We try to build a draft strategy and pick the best players at their position and a position of need and try to get the best value that we can. Hopefully they come in as rookies that can contribute and eventually start.”

On how they are doing in re‐signing players “We’re still working on [DT Brodrick] Bunkley. We’ve reached out to multiple other Broncos free agents and hopefully we can get something done.”

On re‐signing LBs Joe Mays and Wesley Woodyard “Joe and Wes are important because our linebacker corps, we didn’t want to have multiple holes there.”

On how he found out Peyton Manning signed with Denver “I was in my office. I know Coach [Fox] and Elway were off in his office and just heard a lot of cheers and yelling. I got up and went to Elway’s office and everyone was excited.”

On whether there is a scenario where Tim Tebow plays with Denver next season “Anything is possible. We’re taking our roster one day at a time and we’re really excited to get Peyton Manning signed today and we’ll work the roster from here. We’re trying to finish free agency and we have our priorities set there.”

HEAD COACH JOHN FOX (INFORMAL MEDIA AVAILABILITY)

On what he and Elway were talking about before Manning called “It was about, ‘Maybe we should give it one last sales pitch,’ or ‘Should we call?’ or ‘What should we do?’ Was it best just sitting and waiting? Then the phone buzzed, so we didn’t need to.”

On improving the team “You’re always looking each year to get better. I stood in front of this team at the at the end of the season after the New England loss, and I just told them I’m going to do everything in my power to get us better as a football team. That’s never easy, because that same group of guys doesn’t come back. That’s pretty much the way the league goes. There are two sides of football. There’s the football and the coaching and the play and the game plan. The offseason is all about business, what you’ve got to do, the decisions you make. You know, those decisions can be huge on what happens in the future. You’re always trying to acquire the best human talent you can, and I think we took a big step.” ©2012 Denver Broncos Football Club. All rights reserved. The individual quotes cited in this document may be used for the purpose of news reporting and other fair uses as defined by Section 107 of the Copyright Act. Duplication or posting of this quote sheet, in its entirety, or any other use of this material which is not a fair use as defined by Section 107 of the Copyright Act is strictly prohibited without the prior written consent of the Denver Broncos Football Club. On what he was thinking during Manning’s press conference to announce his release from the Colts “To be honest with you, I kind of thought it was a little bit like what happened to me. I spent nine years in one place, and all of a sudden, that’s over. I know that feeling, so I kind of understood where he was at. I know it was as a player and not as a coach, but that’s emotional; it’s hard. You’ve got people in the building, and it’s amazing the relationships you build. There’s the same thing I’m talking about with teammates, equipment guys, the janitor. You get close to a lot of different people at different levels, so it’s never easy.”

On when he first thought about pursuing Manning “Even Peyton didn’t know until that Tuesday. He said his wife knew earlier, but nobody really knew. Then there are rules; you can’t make contact with a player that’s on another roster until—actually it can’t even be at that press conference, it has to be over the waiver wire. We talked about the possibility of that happening, but until that actually happens, you can’t really act.”

On if he discussed adding Manning the same day he was released “I can’t really say. We didn’t really get involved until legally we could, and it was very soon. It was that evening after he got back to Miami that we had our initial conversation.”

On the scene in John Elway’s office when he received the call “At first, it was tense, because we didn’t really know what call we were getting. As it became evident that we were his choice, it was pretty boisterous, ad it spread fast—not just in your world, but in our building—as far as people running around very excited and congratulatory. Everybody was very excited.”

On his reaction to learning that Manning would be a Bronco “The funny part was I stepped back like it was a hot potato. [Elway] tried to remain calm; he did a good job. He’s always calm under pressure, but then he gave the thumbs up. I didn’t want to act like I was there. I made no noise. I was really excited.”

On what kind of control Manning will have in the offense “Part of this process was proving flexibility, and we kind of earned that last year with some of the adjustments we made as the season wore on. I think at the end of the day, we want Peyton to play fast and operate fast, and he’s been successful in that type of situation. It’ll be kind of a melding together like John [Elway] talked about. We don’t have a lot of egos as far as our coaching staff. We have a good building, so I think at the end of the day, it will be a melding and a joint effort. Peyton will have input; the coaches will have input. It’s a team effort.”

On gameplanning against Manning “It was always very tough. John [Elway] talked about it. He’s a very hard worker. He’s a gym‐rat type of guy. He’s a tireless worker and he prepares. He’s one of the smartest football players I’ve ever competed against, and he’s going to be that same thing for us.”

On Manning’s workout in Durham “I was very impressed. Like I said, it’s only March. I’ve got a bunch of players from last year that are rehabbing, that are not 100 percent now, so you talk to medical people. We’re not experts in that area, and we brought them with us, and like Peyton said, he was very forthright. He wants everybody to know exactly what they’re getting, so it says a lot about him. Our doctors went through those examinations, and they gave us the thumbs up, and we’re still in that process. He’s just going to get better, and he looked especially good for where he’s at right now.”

On when he knew Manning was healthy enough to play “Watching him, and after the workout, I was very sure that he was going to get better.”

On if he’s had a chance to talk with QB Tim Tebow “We’ve talked to him. I don’t like predicting too many things. He’s still under contact with the Denver Broncos, and it would be hard for me to predict what’s going to happen moving forward.”

On whether he was surprised to learn that the 49ers had watched Manning throw “Not really. They make personnel decisions based on their building. I know the kind of talent Peyton Manning is, and I’d be surprised if everybody wasn’t interested. That didn’t surprise me.”

On if he is ready to implement a more pass‐heavy offense “I’ve had a lot of great players play for me and quarterbacks and what not, but I’m not sure I’ve ever had one quite like him. Balance is key. I’ve been coaching defense in this league for a long time. I know what’s difficult. I think balance is really the key. We’ve probably been a little bit more on the run side. Last year might have been about as lopsided as I’ve ever been with it, but it helps you. You’ve got to be able to do both. Defensive coordinators in this league are too sharp. If you’re one‐dimensional they can get you, so I think Peyton will help with that balance.”

On his confidence that Manning would choose to sign with the Broncos when he went to bed on Sunday night “I really didn’t know. Like John [Elway] mentioned, there were a lot of points to all the different teams. I was hoping. Really, you just hope.

“We got him in quickly. I didn’t know whether that was going to work for us or against us. We were very forthright just like Peyton was through the whole process, and I think he has some friends that live in Denver. It’s not like he’s never been here before. Of course, in the NFL, you’re going through every city there is, so you know a little bit about the fans; you know a little bit about the tradition. I think all of those things worked positively. The fact that [Owner and CEO] Mr. [Pat] Bowlen took a red‐eye flight from Hawaii to greet him said a lot about the commitment that we have from ownership. I was very anxious, because not very many times do you get the opportunity to acquire a proven commodity at the quarterback position.”

On the advantage that Elway gave the Broncos in pursuing Manning “I think big. I look at John differently than you guys do. He’s definitely a legend here—he’s a legend in the NFL, but I look at his success. The guy has been a winner in everything he’s done, both on and off the field. He’s extremely smart. A lot of people weren’t sure because of his lack of experience in an executive role, but I think he’s done a tremendous job, and I’m sure [he] was helpful in getting Peyton.”

On whether he likes the no‐huddle offense “Yeah, I think variation and change‐up and balance and having somebody that can control that and handle that is huge.”

On Manning’s command of the no‐huddle offense “Peyton made a lot of things happen with his mind. He’s got an excellent arm and makes good decisions, and accurate thrower, but a lot of what he’s able to do is because he is like a coach on the field.”

On whether the altitude makes the no‐huddle offense more difficult for defenses “I’ve said all along since day one, from having had to compete here, it might be the best homefield advantage in the NFL because on an NFL travel schedule, you don’t have time to acclimate to altitude. That can be a factor, particularly early in games.”

On evaluating Manning’s health “It’s not any different than when you evaluate a college quarterback or any talent coming out when there’s a workout involved. It kind of confirmed what I thought, and it kind of confirmed with the medical people that it’s just going to move forward like any rehab situation. So, we felt very good about it.”

On the most impressive thing that he saw during his workout “I saw pretty close to the same Peyton Manning that I competed against.”

On if he will be under center during the first preseason game “You know me. I’m not going to predict any timeline. You don’t know what’s going to happen. We just feel good.”

On the backup quarterback position “It’s a flowing process, like every offseason. We’ll have to look at the backup plan. That could be a list of anybody. It could be somebody on our roster; it could be somebody that’s not on our roster, and we’ll evaluate that moving forward. It’s always fluid.”

On whether the addition of Manning puts a bulls‐eye on the Broncos’ backs “I think at the end of the day, you want to be in a position as an organization to have high expectations. I don’t know—just arriving here myself just a year ago—that that was the case [before]. I’ve been in positions before where the expectations were high, and I think I like that better than not being high.”