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Peyton Manning and Brock Osweiler. Justin Edmonds/Getty Images

Peyton Manning blasts 'bullshit' reports that he'll refuse to sit on the bench

Is Manning unwilling to serve as the Denver Broncos’ back-up quarter-back when he returns from injury?

PEYTON MANNING HAS angrily fired back at a report that strongly suggested that he is unwilling to serve as the Denver Broncos’ back-up quarter-back when he is healthy enough to play, calling the report “bullshit and insulting”.

On Sunday, Ian Rapoport reported on the NFL Network about what he described as “a very uncomfortable and difficult situation,” concerning Manning’s status on the Broncos.

“It is a trying time for Peyton Manning who has always been a starter in his entire career,” Rapoport said. “[It] does not sound like he is inclined to be Brock Osweiler’s back-up. That is one issue, and one I am told he is pretty serious about.”

On the surface, this could just mean that Manning doesn’t want to be a back-up player, a fair sentiment for anybody as every player wants to be a starter. However, Rapoport took it a step further.

Rich Eisen, seemingly seeking to clarify the comments, asked Rapoport if we would see a healthy Manning serving as a backup quarterback: ”My understanding is [that] is not, not going to happen,” Rapoport responded.

Following the Broncos’ defeat to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, Manning was asked about the report: “It’s bullshit and it’s insulting,” Manning said.

John Elway, the Broncos’ executive VP of football operations and general manager, also denied that Manning has made any demands about playing time.

What is unclear at this point is exactly what Manning was asked and what he and Elway thought the report said.

There was confusion in the media, with some reports saying Manning had told the team he would not serve as a backup.

However, there is no indication that Rapoport ever reported any demands being made by Manning, only that ”there are plenty of people who know that Peyton does not want to be the backup.”

Again, that Manning would want to start when healthy is probably a safe assumption that most people would make.

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    Mute Padraigh75
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    Dec 21st 2015, 4:14 PM

    Brock has played amazing in Peytons absence. He will find it tough to get back him starter job. Brock is a FA next year. Broncos must not let him walk and that’s from a Chargers fan.

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    Mute PScald
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    Dec 21st 2015, 4:31 PM

    Chargers fan, my sympathies

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    Mute Padraigh75
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    Dec 21st 2015, 4:49 PM

    Thanks, been a tough year. Injuries mounting up cost us yet again.

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    Mute Dylan Terry
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    Dec 21st 2015, 6:13 PM

    I agree peyton might not even be around next season so the Broncos have to think about the franchises future.

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    Mute Neil Blair
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    Dec 21st 2015, 11:29 PM

    Brock has played amazing in Peytons absence.

    Points scored by Denver in 2nd half of last 3 games. 0, 0, 0.

    He’s been better than Manning but a long, long way from amazing. Now if he could just see his way to another of those performances against the Bengals this week he could hand my Chiefs the division and take Denver out of the playoffs! Now that would be amazing.

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    Mute Padraigh75
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    Dec 23rd 2015, 1:38 PM

    We, it was hardly his fault Mack sacked him 5 times vs Raiders. Or my Chargers defense finally showed up in the game before. He needs playing time to improve and he is getting it. Good draft class of QB that year, and bad ones too ie RG3 & Weeden

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    Mute The Man From The Na
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    Dec 21st 2015, 4:10 PM

    I’d always take a report by Ian Rapoport with a pinch of salt.

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    Mute Teddington
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    Dec 21st 2015, 4:50 PM

    Peyton Manning is not going to be a starting quality QB next season either way so from a purely practical point of view it might be the right moment to really get a look at Brock “The Lobster” Osweiler now when the pressure game is on. Manning wasn’t doing a good job earlier on in the season and I think Osweiler has earned the right to carry on as starting QB for this season.

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    Mute Denis Fogarty
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    Dec 21st 2015, 10:20 PM

    Write off Manning at your Peril. Could easily have another quality year left in him despite his poor performances this season

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    Mute Conor O' Sullivan
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    Dec 21st 2015, 7:59 PM

    Did anyone else this Brock was poor last night in the second half when the pressure came on. A long way to go yet

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