Manning on Beer, Retirement and His Favorite Word

NEWARK, N.J. — Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning addressed reporters for nearly an hour during Super Bowl media day on Tuesday.

“It definitely feels special being back in the Super Bowl,” Peyton Manning reported from his perch at Super Bowl Media Day in Newark, New Jersey. “I don’t care how old you are.”

• On Retirement: “I must have signed ten jerseys for my teammates this week,” Manning explained. He interpreted that as their way of “dropping hints” on the twilight of his career.
• On Family: “My entire family has supported me,” the quarterback noted. “We did the same for Eli.”
• On Injury: Manning explained that the same year that he suffered horrible neck issues his wife had twins, a trade that he would gladly make.
• On Beer: “Bud Light is probably the preferred beer of the Manning family.” Peyton offered that he spent many a Sunday night as a kid watching his dad drinking a Bud Light or two after “taking a pounding” as the Saints quarterback.
• On His New Favorite Word: Manning talked about a media “narrative”–a word he admits only recently discovering–surrounding his injury that wasn’t based on the reality of his private progress. “Narrative, that’s my new word for the year.”

Manning held court with throngs of journalists from around the globe for an hour at Super Bowl Media Day. The least surprising bit of information passed on by the future Hall of Famer? “Morale for the Broncos is pretty solid.”