Gary Kubiak Talks Peyton Manning, Defense After Super Bowl 50 Win vs. Panthers

The Denver Broncos and their dominant defense controlled Super Bowl 50 from the opening possession and never trailed on the way to a 24-10 victory over the Carolina Panthers. While the defense deserved all of the attention it received in the aftermath, first-year head coach Gary Kubiak earned some credit of his own for the way he led his team to the mountaintop.

He praised his defense and quarterback Peyton Manning after the win but also made sure his kids understood how important Sunday's Super Bowl victory was because it was his first as a head coach, per Fox's Kirk Morrison during a Sirius XM interview:

Kubiak added more individual accomplishments than the victory to his resume. ESPN Stats & Info noted he became the fourth head coach to win a championship in his first season with a team, and NFL on ESPN pointed out his legacy as a Broncos player:

The defense shut down league MVP Cam Newton. Newton was responsible for 45 regular-season touchdowns, but he didn’t find the end zone Sunday. In fact, he finished just 18-of-41 passing for 265 yards, zero touchdowns and a pick, and he also lost two fumbles.

The Broncos also held Jonathan Stewart to 29 rushing yards on 12 carries (2.4 yards a pop) and superstar tight end Greg Olsen to four catches for 41 yards.

Many thought Newton would use his athleticism to open up the offense and escape the pressure that stopped Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game. However, Denver sacked the former Heisman Trophy winner six times Sunday, and Pat Forde of Yahoo Sports noted Super Bowl MVP Von Miller’s postseason effort:

Miller will be one of the most interesting storylines in the NFL moving forward because he is a free agent in the offseason. He will command major money following a playoff showing like the one fans just saw, and the Broncos defense was the primary reason the team won the title.

The front office will have to weigh Miller’s impact against a number of factors, including the salary he commands and other financial needs of the team, but he is only 26 years old. He will likely continue to be a force for years to come, and the Broncos will be a better team for the foreseeable future if he is still on the roster.

Kubiak recognized Miller and the defense when offering his take on Manning, per Tim Dahlberg of the Associated Press: “He was on a team that could help him get a win. He didn't have to go out there and do it all on his own, and he knew that.”

Manning was far from spectacular with 141 passing yards, zero touchdowns, one interception and a fumble lost, and Kubiak was spot-on with his analysis. Still, the Denver coach was particularly proud of his quarterback in the aftermath, per Sports Illustrated:

"

I told him how proud I was of him. I could sit here all night and tell you the meetings he and I went through over the course of the last 10 weeks when he was injured, working his way back, battling his way back for the football team and he comes back and leads this group at the end, you know I know it was very, very special for him to be a part of.

"

All that hard work made Manning one of the greatest in NFL history, even if he didn’t play the part Sunday at the age of 39. However, he earned a second championship ring and became only the fifth quarterback in league history to throw for 1,000 total yards in his Super Bowl career.

It’s hard to argue with that legacy.