Now That Peyton Manning's In Denver, Broncos Receivers Actually Have To Run Routes

Every morning, the fine folks at Sports Radio Interviews sift through the a.m. drive-time chatter to bring you the best interviews with coaches, players, and personalities across the sports landscape. Today: With Tebow gone, Demaryius Thomas can't just improvise every play.

Demaryius Thomas joined Mayhem in the AM on 790 The Zone in Atlanta to discuss his big game-winning touchdown against the Steelers, Tim Tebow, Peyton Manning's impact on his game and the team in general.

On his 80-yard touchdown to beat the Steelers in overtime in the AFC wild-card playoffs changing for things for him: "Oh yeah, it changed a lot. I went from unknown to known. Go out and now people notice you. But I think it was a big step of my career to elevate it."

On his feelings prior to that play: "When we went out on the field, I knew it was going to be a big play but I didn't know it was going to be that big. Once I made one guy miss I knew it was going to be to the house."

On if it got tiring answering Tim Tebow questions during the course of the year: "It did, it did."

On what Peyton Manning brings to the table: "The thing that gets me is how well he knows the game, and he's a leader. It ain't just him talking to the offense. He talks to the whole team as a group, so I feel like that's something big, because I never saw a quarterback that does that. And even when we're in the weight room, he's just a leader. You got something like that on your team, it can take you big places."

On if Manning looks like a guy recovering from multiple neck procedures: "I can't tell he had one surgery. … I've never been with a quarterback like that, so…."

On his initial feelings when the team signed Manning: "I was excited at the same time, but I was kind of nervous, because from watching him I felt like he - I ain't gonna say he was demanding - but the receivers did the right things and he got the ball to them in the right spots. So to get to play with a future Hall of Famer, I knew I had to step my game up and get in my book more, run routes more, because I never really ran routes much. So I thought it was gonna be a challenge, and it has been so far. But it's been good, too."

On having to run more routes with Manning at quarterback: "You're gonna have to run the whole route tree now. The comebacks, the slants, the posts, the ins. And I didn't have to do that much when I was my first couple of years in the league."

This post, written by Brad Gagnon, appears courtesy of Sports Radio Interviews. For the complete highlights of the interview, as well as audio, click here.

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