from Santa Clara — Amid the fluttering confetti and euphoria of Denver’s Super Bowl victory Sunday night, Olivia Manning didn’t disguise her feelings.
She had just watched her son, Peyton, win the second Lombardi Trophy of his storied NFL career from a suite on the seventh level of Levi’s Stadium — seventh heaven for the Manning family.
Peyton, who turns 40 next month, hasn’t officially decided whether he wants to continue his playing career. But his mom, speaking to two reporters, weighed in with her opinion.
“I would like for him to retire,” she said. “I would. Physically, I just don’t think it’s worth going on. He won a Super Bowl — it’s the best way to go out.”
This win, she said, was the sweetest of all of them, even though it’s tough to imagine anything being more satisfying to the Mannings than the first Super Bowl win — Peyton’s Indianapolis Colts over Chicago — or younger brother Eli’s leading the New York Giants to two title victories over New England.
How much did Olivia want Sunday’s win over the Carolina Panthers?
“Oh my goodness,” she said. “I guess more than I’ve ever wanted any of them. Just because he’s been through a lot, he’s going to be 40 years old. To get a win for the Broncos, Denver’s a great city and great team. He loves this team. To get a win for them.”
Predictably, Manning didn’t indicate which way he’s leaning.
“I’ll take some time to reflect,” he said. “I have a couple of priorities first. I want to go kiss my wife and my kids. I want to go hug my family. I’m going to drink a lot of Budweiser tonight, I promise you that. I’m going to take care of those things first, and say a little prayer to thank the man upstairs for this great opportunity.”
The game was far from a tour de force for Manning, who set an NFL record with his 200th career victory. He threw for only 141 yards, with no touchdowns, and Denver had just 11 first downs compared to 21 by the Panthers.
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Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning looks at the Vince Lombardi Trophy during the Super Bowl 50 awards ceremony following Denver’s 24-10 victory over the Carolina Panthers.
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Denver quarterback Peyton Manning is handed the Vince Lombardi Trophy by a teammate during the awards ceremony at Super Bowl 50.
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Broncos General Manager John Elway holds aloft the Vince Lombardi Trophy after Denver defeated Carolina in the Super Bowl in February. (Ezra Shaw / Getty Images)
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Panthers quarterback Cam Newton walks off the field after losing to the Broncos in Super Bowl 50.
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Quarterbacks Cam Newton and Peyton Manning share a brief moment following Super Bowl 50.
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Broncos Coach Gary Kubiak is doused with Gatorade in the closing seconds of a 24-10 victory over the Panthers in Super Bowl 50.
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Broncos center Matt Paradis reacts as teammate C.J. Anderson scores on a two-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl 50.
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Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning reacts after C.J. Anderson’s two-yard TD run against the Panthers.
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Broncos linebacker Von Miller (58) strips the ball from Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) during the fourth quarter.
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Broncos defensive back T.J. Ward recovers a fumble by Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (not pictured) in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl 50.
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Broncos defensive backs Darian Stewart and T.J. Ward celebrate after Ward recovered a fumble by Panthers quarterback Cam Newton in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl 50.
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Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) is brought down by Broncos defensive end Malik Jackson during the fourth quarter.
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Panthers receiver Corey Brown (10) makes an off-balance catch against Broncos defensive backs T.J. Ward (43) and Aqib Talib (21) during the second half of Super Bowl 50.
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Broncos defensive end Derek Wolfe reacts after sacking Carolina’s Cam Newton (not pictured) during the second half.
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Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning reacts to an incompletion during the second half of Super Bowl 50.
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Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) scrambles from the Broncos’ pass rush during the second half of Super Bowl 50.
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Chris Martin of Coldplay performs during the halftime show of Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday.
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Beyonce gives a hair-raising performance during the Super Bowl 50 halftime show at Levi’s Stadium.
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Bruno Mars, a last-minute addition, performs during the Super Bowl 50 halftime show.
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Chris Martin of Coldplay lays it on the line as he performs during the halftime show of Super Bowl 50.
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Beyonce, Chris Martin and Bruno Mars perform together during the halftime show of Super Bowl 50.
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Broncos receiver Jordan Norwood (11) runs the ball deep into Panthers territory on a 61-yard punt return in the first half of Super Bowl 50.
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Panthers quarterback Cam Newton sits on the turf after being knocked down during a pass attempt in the first half of Super Bowl 50.
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Broncos running back C.J. Anderson stiff-arms Panthers defensive back Cortland Finnegan during the first half of Super Bowl 50.
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Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart (28) leaps over the line of scrimmage against the Broncos for a one-yard touchdown in the first half.
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Quarterback Cam Newton (1) celebrates with reserve quarterback Derek Anderson after the Panthers scored a touchdown in the first half.
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Panthers tight end Greg Olsen tries to fend off Broncos linebacker Danny Trevathan on a 19-yard reception in the first half.
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Panthers quarterback Cam Newton unleashes a pass against the Broncos in the first half of Super Bowl 50.
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Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib tackles Panthers receiver Corey Brown by using the facemask, drawing a penalty during the first half of Super Bowl 50.
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Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) is sacked by Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly (59) during the first half.
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Broncos running back C.J. Anderson signals first down after he’s brought down by Panthers defensive end Jared Allen in the first half.
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Broncos linebacker Von Miller (58) strips the ball from Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, leading to a fumble recovery for a touchdown by Malik Jackson (not pictured).
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Broncos defensive end Malik Jackson (97) recovers a fumble by Panthers quarterback Cam Newton for a touchdown during the first half.
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Broncos defensive end Malik Jackson (97) celebrates after scoring a touchdown on a fumble recovery in the first half of Super Bowl 50.
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Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning attempts a pass against the Panthers during the first drive of Super Bowl 50.
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Broncos receiver Andre Caldwell makes a 22-yard catch against Panthers defensive back Tre Boston in the first half.
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Broncos kicker Brandon McManus converts a 34-yard field goal in the first half to open the scoring in Super Bowl 50.
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Broncos running back C.J. Anderson (22) makes a reception against Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis (58) during the first half.
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The Blue Angels perform a flyover during pregame ceremonies for Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium.
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Lady Gaga sings the national anthem before the start of Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium last February. (Larry W. Smith / EPA)
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Former Jets quarterback Joe Namath, MVP of Super Bowl III, is introduced before Super Bowl 50.
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Past Super Bowl MVPs are introduced before Super Bowl 50 on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium.
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Denver’s Corey Nelson (52) and Max Garcia (73) take a moment in the end zone before Super Bowl 50.
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Panthers receiver Corey Brown warms up before Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium.
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NBA star Stephen Curry greets Panthers Coach Ron Rivera before Super Bowl 50.
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Broncos linebacker Von Miller greets NBA star Kevin Durant before Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday.
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Denver Broncos fans cheer during warmups before Super Bowl 50 on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium.
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Panthers quarterback Cam Newton stretches during warmups before Super Bowl 50 on Sunday.
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A Carolina Panthers fan watches as the teams warm up before Super Bowl 50.
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Bonrcos quarterback Peyton Manning warms up Sunday at Levi’s Stadium before Super Bowl 50.
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Fans enter the Levi’s Stadium for Super Bowl 50 on Sunday.
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Fans take s selfie near military personnel outside Levi’s Stadium before Super Bowl 50 on Sunday.
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Denver Broncos fans arrive at Levi’s Stadium for Super Bowl 50 on Sunday.
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A Panthers fan arrives at Levi’s Stadium for Super Bowl 50 on Sunday.
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Large dryers are used several hours before Super Bowl 50 to make sure the paint is set in the end zone at Levi’s Stadium.
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Workers take pictures outside Levi’s Stadium before Super Bowl 50 on Sunday.
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A security member arrives at Levi’s Stadium before Super Bowl 50 on Sunday.
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A soldier stands guard Sunday outside Levi’s Stadium before Super Bowl 50.
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A soldier stands guard outside Levi’s Stadium before Super Bowl 50 on Sunday.
(Ben Margot / Associated Press) But Manning has carried teams throughout his 18-year career. It’s only right that somebody carry him this time, and Denver’s smothering defense did just that. The Broncos sacked Carolina quarterback Cam Newton six times, and stripped him near the goal line, scoring the first touchdown on a fumble recovery in the last 23 years of Super Bowls.
“Your roles, sometimes they change,” said Peyton’s older brother, Cooper, standing near the dais and watching Peyton tuck his twin 4-year-olds, Marshall and Mosley, under his arms. “Different teams, different personnel. The role here was to try to get a lead, hold onto it, and don’t do anything stupid and let the defense attack. And that’s what they did. The defense went after them.”
Archie Manning didn’t come down to the field to watch the postgame celebration. He recently had knee-replacement surgery, so it’s a little tougher to get around these days. Instead, he waited to visit his son in the Broncos locker room.
After congratulating Peyton, Archie emerged from the locker room, leaned on a wall just outside it, and basked in the warm afterglow of the 24-10 victory.
It wasn’t so long ago that Archie thought his son’s playing career was probably over. Peyton had suffered a torn plantar fascia in his left foot, and the Broncos seemed to have moved on with Brock Osweiler, their quarterback of the future.
“Absolutely not,” Archie said when asked if he could have envisioned his son reaching the NFL mountaintop again this season. “ I didn’t think he was going to play again. His foot was bothering him, Brock was playing well, and I just said, well, that’s football. You look at all the good times he had and all the great health he enjoyed for so many years.”
Manning sat out six of the final seven regular-season games, but he replaced a struggling Osweiler in the finale against San Diego — a game the Broncos needed to win to stave off Kansas City for the AFC West title — and directed Denver to a 27-20 victory. That was a turning point.
Even though he holds the NFL career records for passing yards and touchdowns, Manning had a terrible year statistically — he had nine touchdowns just two years after he threw for 55 — and had to adjust to a new reality. For the first time in his career, he ran the scout-team offense, and dressed as a backup.
“Through it all,” Archie said, “best I could tell, he tried to remain a good team player and make a contribution.”
Archie gets nervous watching his sons play, and he’s a pacer. He often has to step out of the family’s suite and listen to the game on the radio, or listen for the crowd’s reaction. At the most stressful times Sunday, he just lowered his head and averted his eyes.
“I got a little nervous tonight,” Archie said. “We couldn’t move it. We couldn’t run it. I got so tired of hearing, ‘No gain.’ He must have said that a hundred times tonight: ‘No gain.’ They had some protection problems. But that defense was so good.
“That Carolina bunch is a good team, but I think Denver shocked them a little bit. . . . They were 17-1, I take my hat off to them. But I don’t think they thought they could lose this game. I think Denver shocked them.”
Archie played 15 NFL seasons — three fewer than Peyton has played — and he said he doesn’t plan to give him advice on his future.
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Carolina Panthers fans watch Super Bowl 50 during a pensive moment at Beelman’s Pub in downtown Los Angeles. Most of the fans at Beelman’s are part of the Roaring Riot, the largest unofficial Panthers fan union in the nation.
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Chelsea Gilligan, left, and Cali Overvack are in knots as they watch the Panthers try to rally against the Broncos in Super Bowl 50.
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Julian Gonzalez, 3, sleeps as Carolina Panthers fans watch Super Bowl 50 at Beelman’s Pub in downtown L.A.
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Carolina Panthers fans, including a screaming Chelsea Gilligan, watch Super Bowl 50 at Beelman’s Pub.
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Panthers fan Chelsea Gilligan throws her hands up in frustration as she watches Super Bowl 50 at Beelman’s Pub.
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Carolina Panthers fans dab in tribute to Cam Newton as they pose for a group picture during halftime of Super Bowl 50 at Beelman’s Pub.
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Broncos fan and bartender Josh Critchfield serves shots as he watches Super Bowl 50 at Cheba Hut in Denver.
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A Denver Broncos fan holds up the “D-Fence” sign during the first half of Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium.
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Fans of the Denver Broncos cheer during the first half of Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium.
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Denver Broncos fans celebrate the team’s 24-10 victory over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50 near the intersection of 20th and Market streets in Denver.
(David Zalubowski / Associated Press) “He’s 40 years old, he’s played so much more football than me,” he said, stopping to note his text messages just hit 200. “I always tell him to keep the faith and have fun. . . . At some point, we’ll talk about some things and he’s got some decisions to make.
“I want to hear his side of it first. I’ve got some ideas. I would never tell Peyton what to do, what not to do. I’ll lay some things out for him. But he knows what to consider. If he wants to play some more football, he’s going to have to go to another team. He’d be 40. . . . First thing I’m going to do is say, ‘Talk to me. Tell me what’s on your mind.’
“But he needs to enjoy this. Not too many people get to do this twice.”
sam.farmer@latimes.com
Twitter: @LATimesfarmer
