SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The question of whether Peyton Manning will retire after the Super Bowl has hung over these two weeks with Manning offering little information.
But Manning sounded reflective Thursday and said he has spoken this week with every football coach he has played for going back to high school.
“I have played for five head coaches. I have heard from all of my former coaches this week, which has been special,” Manning said. “I had a nice conversation with Coach [Tony] Dungy. I had really nice text messages from Jim Mora, my first coach, Jim Caldwell and John Fox. I mentioned earlier, I called both my high school coach and my college coach this week, Tony Reginelli and Coach [Phillip] Fulmer. Coach Reginelli is not in great health, so he won’t be able to make the game. Coach Fulmer’s mother has some health issues, so he won’t be able to make the game. I do think about coaches when you play in a game like this.”
Manning is playing in his fourth Super Bowl with his fourth different coach — an amazing feat.
“I think it is important to be able to adapt as a player,” Manning said. “Every coach has different styles, different philosophies. I have enjoyed learning something from all of them, all of those men I mentioned I have learned a great deal from and tried to apply it to my game and the way I approach things. I have enjoyed learning from [Denver] Coach [Gary] Kubiak this year. Continuity is always a great thing, but when you do have a chance to play for some different coaches I think you want to take advantage and learn from them. I am grateful for all of those people and I have learned something from all of them.”
The last time Manning played in the Super Bowl was two years ago with Fox as the Broncos coach. Denver fired Fox after last season, replacing him with Kubiak. A reporter asked Manning Thursday if the Broncos would be in this Super Bowl had Fox remained as the head coach.
“Yes,” Manning replied. “I don’t get into comparisons. I don’t. It is easy to do, but like I mentioned earlier, I was grateful to play for Coach Fox. Coming off a year, there wasn’t a lot of fun in 2011. Not playing, being injured. I had more neck surgeries than snaps that year. John Fox was a big reason why I came to Denver. We had a great three years together.”