Peyton Manning will have to earn his full paycheck this season.
The Denver Broncos quarterback reportedly has agreed to take a $4 million pay cut in 2015 and earn $15 million in base salary. According to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen and Jeff Legwold, however, Manning’s contract includes two incentives that could let him earn the full $19 million: $2 million for winning the AFC Championship Game and $2 million for winning the Super Bowl.
That’s certainly a tall task for a player who doesn’t have the best postseason track record. Manning won a Super Bowl with the Indianapolis Colts in 2006 and led the Broncos to the big game in 2013 but has an 11-13 career playoff record with 24 interceptions in 24 postseason games.
The message of the reported incentives is clear: Shake the bad rap and deliver a Lombardi Trophy to Denver, and you’ll be rewarded for your efforts.
That seems like a lofty goal, but Manning might be lucky to even have the opportunity to earn $19 million. According to the Denver Post’s Mike Klis, the Broncos were seeking a “far more severe pay cut” when they first began negotiations with the 38-year-old in February. As Klis explains, Denver needs all the cash it can get.
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Of course, Denver’s first Super Bowl victory since 1999 would make all that spending worth it. The expectations appear to be set. Now it’s Manning’s turn to deliver.
Thumbnail photo via Ed Mulholland/USA TODAY Sports Images
