Stokley: At Season's End, Manning's 'Bad Was Really Bad'

DENVER (CBS4) - Peyton Manning will make a guest appearance on "Saturday Night Live" in two weeks.

It could be a perfect opportunity for him to announce he's returning to play another season for the Denver Broncos.

But what are the Broncos getting if he does come back?

According to former Broncos receiver Brandon Stokley, a close friend of Manning, the leg injury Manning suffered near season's end was worse than it looked.

"When you can't use every part of your body to throw the football, it's not going to be successful, and I think that's what you saw with him," Stokley told CBS4's Vic Lombardi on Xfinity Monday Live. "It was 50-50. He did have some good games, but the bad was really bad."

Lombardi asked Stokley, who is now retired from the NFL, why Manning simply didn't take a few games off and rest his leg.

"That's just not his mentality. It's not what he does. That's why he's out there in practice every day. He feels like he needs to be out there for the team, for himself.

"You look back and say 'He probably should have taken some time off' but it's hard to do it."

There's no telling for sure, but new Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak might take a different tact with Manning than John Fox did and actively encourage him to rest -- and miss a game if necessary -- if the quarterback suffers any injury during the season.

Manning started every game since he arrived in Denver during former coach Fox. He said last week that he is still taking his time to make his decision about whether he'll retire or not.

Stokley thinks Manning could return to championship form if he returns.

Watch more of the video with Stokley in the Xfinity Monday Live section.