Other than linebacker Thomas Davis, the Carolina Panthers have no injury concerns entering Super Bowl 50, coach Ron Rivera said.
And Davis doesn’t feel like he should be viewed that way despite undergoing surgery to repair a broken right forearm, suffering in the NFC Championship Game victory over the Arizona Cardinals.
“I’m excited about where I am right now,” Davis said on Thursday while speaking publicly about the injury for the first time since undergoing surgery on Monday. “It hasn’t changed. I’m still looking forward to playing in the Super Bowl.”
Davis said the surgery to repair his broken right forearm included the installation of 11 or 12 screws and a metal plate.
He said he will probably wear either a splint or cast to protect the injury in the Feb. 7 contest against the Denver Broncos.
Davis likely won’t test the arm in practice until sometime next week.
—Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning reaffirmed his stance as players returned to practice for the Super Bowl that the Al-Jazeera America report last month linking him and his wife to human grown hormone is false.
Manning told reporters that he doesn’t have a problem with the NFL investigation into the matter and said it’s not a distraction as he prepares for Super Bowl 50 against the Carolina Panthers on Feb. 7.
“I do welcome it. It’s no news to me,” Manning said after practice. “I still stand by what I said then that it’s garbage from the first day that it came out, garbage today.”
Manning also was asked about his plans to retire after a microphone picked up his conversation with New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick last Sunday at the 50-yard line. Manning told Belichick after the Broncos’ 20-18 victory that this might be my “last rodeo” and it had been a pleasure to compete against him.
“That hasn’t been confirmed,” Manning said of his retirement plans. “What happened to private conversations on the 50-yard line? They don’t exist anymore. No confirmation to that whatsoever. We are on to Carolina.”
—In celebration of the previous 49 Super Bowls, the Pro Football Hall of Fame Selectors chose the “Super Bowl 50 Golden Team,” which is led by eight members of the Pittsburgh Steelers franchise.
Appropriately, Steelers coach Chuck Noll leads this mythical team. Significantly, although the Steelers played in eight Super Bowls, all their selections came from their 1970s-era dynasty that won four Super Bowls in a six-year stretch starting with the 1974 season.
Along with Noll, the Pittsburgh representatives are cornerback Mel Blount, defensive lineman Joe Greene, outside linebacker Jack Ham, running back Franco Harris, inside linebacker Jack Lambert, wide receiver Lynn Swann and center Mike Webster.
However, Joe Montana was selected to quarterback this team after leading the San Francisco 49ers to four Super Bowl wins while throwing 11 touchdowns, including five in one game, and no interceptions.
The only unanimous selection, and the only player still active in the league, is kicker Adam Vinatieri of the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts.
—The San Diego Chargers have purchased land in Orange County to be used for an interim practice facility and team headquarters should the franchise opt to move to Los Angeles, the Orange County Register reported.
The Chargers haven’t officially announced their plans but all indications are pointing toward a move to Inglewood, where the team would share a stadium with the Los Angeles Rams.
The Chargers formally submitted grading and landscape plans to the city of Santa Ana earlier this week, the Register reported. Team officials confirmed the purchase with a statement released Thursday.
—Seattle Seahawks free agent left tackle Russell Okung informed NFL teams he will undergo left shoulder surgery to repair a dislocation sustained in the NFC divisional playoff loss to the Carolina Panthers.
Okung battled injuries in his six seasons with the Seahawks, who drafted him No. 6 overall in the 2010 draft.
Okung emailed every team as a precursor to his first foray into free agency, which officially begins March 9, according to CBS Sports. The former Oklahoma State standout plans to represent himself in contract negotiations. However, NFL rules prevent communication with teams prior to March 9.
—Wide receiver Amari Cooper was nearly shut down in December with a foot injury by Oakland Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie.
The Raiders were in the playoff race until the final two weeks of the regular season.
McKenzie told SiriusXM NFL Radio that the Raiders ultimately came away very impressed with Cooper’s ability to play through the injury. He is participating in the Pro Bowl this week after becoming the first Raiders rookie with 1,000 receiving yards.
—Barring a barrage of bets on the Denver Broncos in the days leading up to Super Bowl 50, the Carolina Panthers will be huge favorites in Las Vegas.
As of Thursday morning, an estimated 80 percent of money wagered on Super Bowl 50 was on the Panthers, who grew to a 5.5-point favorite. Westgate told ESPN several five-figure wagers came in on Carolina.
The American Gaming Association said Wednesday that Americans will bet $4.2 billion on Super Bowl 50, and 80 percent of the “public money” will be wagered in the three days before the game. Las Vegas sports books and casinos partner to throw extravagant bashes during the most-watched game on the sports calendar.