For the first time since his early days at the University of Tennessee, Peyton Manning will not sit atop the depth chart at the quarterback position, ESPN reports.
Denver Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak revealed Wednesday that the future Hall of Famer and five-time NFL MVP has recovered enough from a torn plantar fascia to be the No. 2 quarterback behind Brock Osweiler this Sunday against the San Diego Chargers. Osweiler will get to start for the seventh straight game.
"Obviously it means a lot," Osweiler said. "It shows that Coach believes in me...It feels good, but I have a job to do this week, and that's where my focus is."
Broncos players enjoyed an off day Tuesday, so Osweiler learned of Kubiak's decision just yesterday.
"I actually just found out a couple minutes ago...whether I was told yesterday or 30 seconds ago, it's not changing my approach," the fourth-year QB said. "I think Coach understands that."
Kubiak did say that Manning will be incorporated into practice and "will go back to work for the football team this week."
"I'm encouraged about that," Kubiak said yesterday afternoon. "We had a good week last week. Hopefully, we have a good week this week and he's available. And if everything goes, and I have no reason to think it should not go well this week, then he would be the backup to Brock in the game."
Though disappointed, Manning said it was a "positive step to get back on the field, maybe make more of a contribution during the week of practice, more on Sunday than just being in street clothes, so I'll do what I can to help the team, help Brock. I'm happy to be more a part of it now than just being in street clothes, quarantined in the indoor facility working out on my own."
Should the Broncos win Sunday, they would secure their fifth straight AFC West title and earn the AFC's No. 2 playoff seed. A victory coupled with a New England Patriots loss would give them home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
