Peyton Manning did his best work as neutral politician, but it seems like this is indeed the end for a legend

The NFL held Super Bowl Opening Night this evening at SAP Center in San Jose, California and there was no doubt who was the most popular Denver Bronco player in attendance.

Peyton Manning.

Media members swarmed the Hall of Fame quarterback’s podium, with the line starting to form over an hour before he was scheduled to take the stage.

Everyone wanted to know whether Manning, who is 39 and entering his 18^th NFL season, was going to hang it up after one final chance at the Lombardi Trophy.

“I think I have a pretty good understanding as to whether you can still contribute and help [or] if you’re in the way and just hanging on…a nuisance to a team,” Manning said. “Or you can be a contributor. I think I have a pretty good understanding of that.”

Manning missed seven games during the regular season due to injury, and has seen his play decline in recent years.

“There’s no question that my role has been different this year,” Manning said. “I play quarterback in a little different way than I used to play. I’m in a different offense; I haven’t been 100 percent healthy all season; can’t make some of the same throws, do some of the same things I used to.”

“I think one thing that’s helped me is that I think I’ve been flexible,” Manning added. “I haven’t been stubborn by saying this is the only way to do it. This is the only way to call plays, the only way to make this throw…adjusting to a new physical state these past few years and new teammates have helped me. It’s a big reason why we’ve been able to function.”

A lot was made of the conversation NFL Films caught on camera of Manning and what could be his final playing words to the Patriots after the Broncos 20-18 win in the AFC Championship game two weeks ago.

“Look I’m a realist,” Manning said. “I know there’s talk about this conversation I had with [New England Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick] a few weeks ago…that was not preplanned. It was a spontaneous reaction. Sometimes you just want to tell someone something man-to-man…and I told [Tom] Brady the same thing.”

“This could be it. I’m aware this could be it and I wanted to tell both of them that I really have enjoyed these games. It has been part of my football life. Both of those guys have been a part of it; good for me and not so good for me.”

“Hey, Brady’s going to play until he’s 70; Belichick’s going to coach until he’s 90,” Manning joked. “Maybe I hit the fountain of youth sometime in the next month and play another 10 years. Maybe we play in 10 more championships against each other, but just in case we don’t, I took the time to tell them both man to man, look them in the eye and shook their hands, and I’m glad that I did it because it was important to me that they knew that.”

Even with a lot of his comments making it seem like this was indeed the end, Manning tried his best to play politician, stating, “What I said was what I said. This could be. This could be. Doesn’t mean it will be.”

“I think I haven’t gotten too reflective or too analytical of the big picture,” Manning said. “I’ve kind of stayed in the moment and the task at hand and I’ll do that this week and then some point after the season I’ll have that comprehensive analysis, but I’m really at peace with it. I’m at peace with it.”

The more he went on, the more reflective the veteran quarterback got, reflecting on his great career.

“I think I’ve worked hard, played hard, really tried to be a good teammate,” Manning said. “My relationships with my teammates have been very important to me. Really tried to earn the respect of the coaches I’ve played for, played against; players that I’ve played against. You get a lot of questions about legacy, what does that mean? Those are the things that are important to me. I’ve worked hard to play a long time but the relationships that I have had with teammates and coaches and the love I have for the game of football are all important to me.”

In review, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Manning did decide to hang up the cleats after this one, no matter what happens.

A win would make it that much sweeter for No. 18, and he knows he only needs to have one more good game to reach the pinnacle of the sport one last time.

“But I can still move the chains,” Manning added. “Kind of like old Tobey Keith said, maybe I’m not as good as I once was, but I can be as good once as I ever was.”