Thomas Davis: Peyton Manning is still great, hasn’t lost arm strength

Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis isn’t buying what some may be selling when it comes to Peyton Manning.

Carolina Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis isn’t buying what some may be selling when it comes to the decline of Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning.

Speaking with USA Today, the 11-year veteran insisted that Manning hasn’t lost his greatness, or his arm.

“He’s going to go down as if not the greatest, one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play this game and you don’t just lose that overnight,” Davis said. “You look at some people talking about his arm strength — but the Patriots game [the AFC Championship], it looked pretty good to me.”

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Several of his teammates echoed Davis’s words, including Luke Kuechly, who called Manning “still very much Peyton Manning.”

“I don’t care what anyone says,” Kuechly said. “He’s still the guy.” 

Manning, 39, told Patriots coach Bill Belichick after the AFC Championship Game that this season may be his last in the NFL.

The Panthers and Broncos will kick off Super Bowl 50 at 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday.

- Kenny Ducey