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If you could surgically prolong a Denver Broncos' career - say you make him a machine, a robot, impervious to injury, and invulnerable to the effects of age - who would it be? Three options come to mind for me.
Terrell Davis
What if that knee injury never happened? Would T.D. have brought the Broncos another Super Bowl victory by now, even after Elway? Some think so. And how much more confident would you be in a Broncos win for this Super Bowl if Davis was still in the mix?
John Elway
A cannon for an arm, and a force on the run, John Elway could beat you with his arms or his legs. The Broncos were never out of a game as long as the Comeback Kid was behind center.
There was something ageless about Denver's last Super Bowl runs. Elway's helicopter was the culmination of that. His want-to was far, far greater than the years that were starting to betray his body, and the idea of prolonging those seasons even farther is appealing.
Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning has famously already undergone four neck surgeries. Why not a fifth?
As the 37-year-old prepares for his third Super Bowl, the questions on whether he might call it a career after this season seem inevitable. But instead of seeing his performance slip, the Broncos QB has nearly completed the greatest season by any NFL quarterback in history. His regular season run certainly fits that bill. Now two years removed from his neck procedures, Manning is playing better than ever.
How good would he be if technology allowed him to continue playing? Would he continue to get better and better into his 40's? Could the Broncos possibly let that potential go?
In the end, Peyton Manning gets my Robo-treatment, but take the poll and let us know which Broncos great you would preserve from age and injury.