Peyton Manning responds to HGH allegations in ESPN interview

Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos went on the offensive Sunday, one day after the release of a report that claimed human-growth hormone was sent to Manning’s house in his wife’s name in 2011 as he was recovering from neck surgery.

Manning released a statement of denial after the report from Al Jazeera and the Broncos released a statement, saying they don’t believe the report.

Not content to let those words stand, Manning went on an on-camera interview with ESPN’s Lisa Salters on Sunday afternoon.

Talking to Salters in the midst of a throwing workout at the Broncos’ indoor practice facility, Manning was initially out of breath as he began talking.

On his reaction to the Al Jazeera report:

“Well, I think I rotate between being angry, furious, on and on, disgusted is really how I feel. Sickened by it. I’m not sure I understand how someone can make something up about somebody, admit that he made it up and yet somehow he gets published in a story. I don’t understand that. Maybe you can explain it to me, Lisa, maybe somebody else can. It’s completely fabricated, complete trash, garbage. There’s more adjectives I’d like to be able to use, but it really makes me sick. It makes me sick. It makes me sick that it brings Ashley into it, her medical privacy being violated, that makes me sick. I don’t understand that. And I’m in the middle of my throwing workout, which I enjoy doing that, and I have to interrupt this workout to come and talk about this. It’s not right. I don’t understand it.”

Have you ever used HGH or any other performance-enhancing drugs?

“Absolutely not. Absolutely not. And what hurts me the most about this, whoever this guy is, this slapstick trying to insinuate that in 2011, when I, you know, more or less had a broken neck, four neck surgeries…I’m sure there’s a difference in there, but I had a bad neck, and I busted my butt to get healthy. Put in a lot of hard work, saw a lot of doctors, I went to the Guyer Clinic [an Indiana-based anti-aging clinic], they had a hyperbaric chamber that our Colts trainers and doctors thought might be good for me. They went with me and thought it might help. Don’t know if it helped; it didn’t hurt. Time ended up being probably my best medicine, along with a lot of hard work, and it stings me, whoever this guy is, insinuating that I cut corners, I broke NFL rules in order to get healthy. It’s a joke. A frickin’ joke.”

Charlie Sly used to work at Guyer, he said they mailed stuff to your home in your wife’s name…

“I don’t know this guy. I’ve never heard of this guy, until this report, I’ve never met the guy. Any medical treatments that my wife received, that’s her business and has got nothing to do with me. Nothing that’s ever been sent to her or nothing that my wife has used have I ever taken. I have my treatments that I do, she may have hers and that’s her business. There’s no connection between the two. And whoever this…I’d love to…I’d love to understand why this guy’s saying this. Why he’s making it up, he admits that he makes it up and yet it still becomes a story.”

You’ve been to Guyer Institute; what did they do for you?

“Yes. Hyperbaric chamber, went with Colts’ doctors, Colts’ trainers, hyperbaric chamber, something called ECCP, which is supposed to create blood flow in your muscles, you have to do 35 consecutive days of treatments, I did all 35 days, an hour treatment, I watched Hoda and Kathie Lee [on the “Today Show”] during my treatment, because I was there during normal business hours, at 9 a.m. eastern time. I did that, I was a good patient, I had some nutrient IV therapies that I did that I thought may help me as well. Everything was under Colts’ authorization, they knew about it, they went with me, and anything else this guys is insinuating – complete garbage.”

We’ve seen athletes accused, many deny, some admit, so right or wrong the cynicism…

“I can’t speak for any other athlete. I know what I’ve done, I know how hard I’ve worked during my 18 years of playing in the NFL. There are no shortcuts in the NFL. I’ve done it the long way, I’ve done it the hard way, and to insinuate anything otherwise is a complete and total joke, it’s defamation, and it really ticks me off.”

What was your initial reaction when you heard the news?

“Sick. Sick. Disgusted. Makes me wanna just…can’t say it on TV. Makes me sick, makes me nauseous.”

How will you fight it?

“I plan to go throw, a little bit harder, my ball has a little extra heat on it today, ive got some built-up anger as you might understand, and I’ll try to do what I can to help the broncos get a win tomorrow night. I’m moving on. I’m not losing any sleep over this report, over this slapstick’s lies and keep my head above it, keep pressing on, try to get healthy, try to get out on the field next week, practice with the team and go from there.”

How’s the foot? (Manning has been dealing with plantar fasciitis)

“I’ve had a good week, to tell you the truth. It’s my fourth day throwing, I haven’t had any setbacks, which is encouraging. I had some soreness last week, at the end of the week, haven’t had that this week, so I’ve been in communication with coach Kubiak, he watches all my throws.”