Brock Osweiler has played the good soldier this week, facing questions about what it means to be benched for Peyton Manning, a legend likely making his final run.
Osweiler has said all the right things during the frenzy of media amid Super Bowl Week. He's talked about being a team player, how he respects the coach's decisions and about playing the Cam Newton role for the scout team.
But don't think it doesn't grind him a bit to be the backup once again.
"If I said it was easy these two games to sit back and watch, I'd completely be lying," Osweiler said, via the New York Post. "So it is difficult to sit back and watch. As a competitor you want to be out there in the fire with your teammates.
"You want to be in the huddle," Osweiler added. "You want to have your hand on the ball every single play. But the bottom line is, coach Kubiak is doing what he believes is best for the football team, and I fully support that and support the team 100 percent.''
Anyone with the motivation it takes to get to the NFL level wants to play. If not, they'd have washed out years before. So it shouldn't surprise anyone in the Broncos' organization that Brock doesn't want to sit back and pretend to be Cam Newton for the week.
All of Denver, especially Manning, understands this team would be nowhere without the seven starts Osweiler made this season, including leading comeback wins over New England and Cincinnati to clinch the all-important No. 1 seed.
A free agent this offseason, Osweiler is set to cash in big. He'll get the dollars and a permanent starting gig this time.
