Peyton Manning handles neck questions with humor

DENVER — Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning was asked after Sunday’s game about an ESPN report that his future beyond this season will be determined by the results of an off-season exam on his neck.

The report said Manning will go through a physical exam in March, as mandated by his contract, and if the exam shows the neck is stable, Manning plans to return to the Broncos for the 2014 season; if the exam shows an increased risk of injury, he will have to decide about whether to retire.

After the victory in Sunday’s divisional playoff game, Manning, 37, was more interested in talking about longnecks than his neck.

“What’s weighing on my mind is how soon I can get a Bud Light in my mouth,” Manning said, to the laughter of reporters. “That’s priority No. 1.”

However, Manning recently stoked speculation about his future with an off-hand comment.

“The light is at the end of the tunnel for me, no question,” he said last week.