The last time Peyton Manning stood on a football field, the Denver Broncos were getting trampled by the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLVIII.
Two months later, before delivering the keynote address at the Boy Scouts of America's 38th Annual Sports Breakfast in Denver on Wednesday, Manning was asked if the 43-8 demolition his team experienced was a "fluke."
"I don't really have a word for it," Manning said, according to a team transcript. "Obviously it was disappointing, and we'll use that to fuel us this offseason and hopefully it will make us better.
"I know the front office has addressed some offseason needs via free agency and of course the draft is coming up. It's up to the players to put in the hard work. ... That all starts Monday the 21st."
Among those key additionsBroncos executive vice president of football operations John Elway added this offseason were receiver Emmanuel Sanders, corner Aqib Talib, safety T.J. Ward and defensive end DeMarcus Ware.
The quarterback also passed along a note from one New Yorker who is happy that one player in particular was lured to Denver.
"Eli (Manning) told me he was glad DeMarcus Ware was leaving his division. He can no longer hit him," Peyton said.
The latest edition of the "Around The League Podcast" covers the Aldon Smith arrest and analyzes the offseason movers and shakers in the NFC East and NFC South.
