In terms of public perception, there are two sides of Peyton Manning.
There is the quarterback who meticulously prepares, obsessing over video sessions and taking the time with each pre-snap read to put his team into the perfect play. On the other hand, there is the goofball who appears in endless commercials, hosts Saturday Night Live, and delivers down home quips on the regular.
As far as his reputation as a quarterback who obsesses over the results of any given game, Manning said this week that he has taken some of the edge off since joining the Denver Broncos. Quotes from the Denver Post:
"“I am not a robot. Maybe at one time I was as a younger player. I might have been. I’ve changed my preparation routine in these later years. There are a lot of things that have changed for me since that injury – enjoying the new team – and having kids has a lot to do with that…“…My preparation has changed. I come home, and I love spending time with the kids and putting them to bed. I don’t stay up as late. I need to get my rest more. Maybe I was a robot early on. Now, maybe I am a little more human.”"
Robotic or not, the stakes are massive for Manning this coming Sunday in Super Bowl 48. How he processes the results and how the rest of us do are two distinctly separate things, but I still imagine that he is feeling significant pressure as the week progresses.