When Peyton Manning was introduced as the new Broncos quarterback, he said one of the first things he wanted to do in Denver is get to know all his new teammates.
“I met [WR] Eric Decker on my visit,” Manning said, cracking a smile. “[DE] Elvis Dumervil and [CB] Champ Bailey have been blowing up my phone. Hopefully that will die down a little bit and I can get to know them in person.”
On Monday, Bailey had a chance to defend himself.
He laughed and said Manning only texted him back twice, but the last text was, ‘Let’s go,’ and Bailey said “that’s all I needed.”
“The way I looked at it, being in his shoes—I know everybody’s trying to get a piece of him, and I just wanted to let him know that I was here if he had any questions,” Bailey explained. “I just wanted to support him wherever he went, but I did let him know how badly I wanted him on my team. At the same time, he didn’t have to say much. He texted me and said that he’d get back to me. He did, and then he texted me after he agreed to come here. ‘Let’s go,’ pretty much.”
During the process, Bailey said he didn’t get his hopes up that Manning would end up a Bronco. While he wanted it to happen “pretty badly,” he said he let the situation play itself out.
So when he saw Manning would be his teammate, how did it feel?
“It was a good feeling,” Bailey smiled. “I can’t really put it into words how I felt at the time, but I just know it just gave me a chance to get somewhere I want to go.”
-Gray Caldwell
Tags: Champ Bailey, Peyton Manning
I agree, why do we always play in Baltimore? wtf!!
Man, I’m glad i’m not in the managment’s shoes this year. Got a few holes but which one is the most important? I’d have to say MLB. Get a smart run stopper in there and a future leader of our D and then you’ll have the front 7 shored up. I like picking banaan back up means we dont have to go for a DT as much. We can get one of those later. But what I really think they will do is find a Marshall faulk for the backfield. Knowshow isnt really getting it done and A fresh rookie face back there would really be exciting to have. Willas is a nice up the gut option for another year or 2 but let’s get the dash this year and the smash next year and start putting up 35 points a game like back when we won the super bowl I miss those years. Where is the next Terrell Davis?