Brock Osweiler not mad at Peyton Manning after substitution mix-up
Denver Broncos backup quarterback Brock Osweiler says he isn’t upset at Peyton Manning after Manning went back in the game at the end of the third quarter with his team leading by 31 points over the Oakland Raiders on Sunday.
Denver got the ball back after an Oakland punt with 40 seconds left in the third quarter and Osweiler was set to come in to relieve Manning. Osweiler went to retrieve his helmet and when he turned around he saw that Manning was already headed towards the field.
His interesting reaction was caught by television cameras.
Manning played one more snap, handing the ball off to running back C.J. Anderson for a one-yard gain.
“It’s a good laugh now,” Osweiler said, according to the Associated Press. “There was just a little miscommunication: Am I going in? Am I not going in? But, no there’s absolutely no hard feelings or anything like that. We’re all just having a good laugh. It’s funny that it got caught on tape.”
Osweiler, who has backed up Manning for the past two seasons, played the entire fourth quarter of the 41-17 Denver victory. He completed two of five passes for 13 yards.
Broncos head coach John Fox blamed himself for the flap, but said “it wasn't earth-shattering, just kind of humorous."
"What happened was we were contemplating it. There were 40 seconds left in the third quarter,” Fox said. “I heard something about him warming up and in my brain I didn't think Brock was warmed up yet. I said, 'Let Peyton finish this off and then we'll bring him out.'"
Denver (7-2) take on the St. Louis Rams (3-6) on Sunday.
- Scooby Axson
