In a packed team meeting room inside of Denver’s training facility, Peyton Manning stood next to John Elway and team owner Pat Bowlen and held up brand new orange No. 18 Broncos jersey, officially kicking off his introduction as the next quarterback of the Denver Broncos.
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“I’m very excited to begin the next chapter of my playing career with the Denver Broncos,” Manning said during a Tuesday news conference. “This truly is a special football environment, and I’m glad to be a part of it.
” … I’m thrilled to be here. I’m looking forward to meeting my new teammates, and doing whatever I can to help this franchise win another Super Bowl.”
Manning’s contract is worth $96 million, a league source told NFL Network’s Albert Breer, but NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora reports Manning’s contract essentially boils down to a series of one-year deals.
The deal includes $18 million guaranteed once it is signed, league sources told La Canfora, and there remains ongoing discussion about injury language in the contract, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.
If Manning passes a physical in March 2013 he’ll be guaranteed $40 million over the next two seasons. There is currently an injury waiver in place, however, that should Manning injure his neck in 2013, the Broncos can void the contract at that point and 2014 would not be guaranteed, sources told La Canfora. Those sources also said there is ongoing dialogue about that injury waiver, and whether it should apply to both years, and until Manning signs the deal that is not locked in.
