Deion Sanders critiques the “Manning Face” at Super Bowl XLIV

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning entered the stadium on Sunday with a look of determination and focus. Others looked at that same face and saw insecurity and an uneasiness. ESPN, the NFL Network and other networks kept focusing on Manning’s look when he walked into Sun Life Stadium, and the NFL Network’s Deion Sanders decided to focus on that expression.

“Let’s start from the beginning, when he walked into the stadium with that grimace,” Sanders said. “You’ve got to understand, we [NFL players] see the cameras when we’re getting off the bus, and we can give you [fans and the media] what we want: We can give you joy, we can give you humility, we can give you that grimace to make you think ‘I’m ready for this game.'”

Sanders continued that as a player, he would have been concerned with the look.

“Players know players, man,” Sanders said. “When you’re giving me that grimace, it seems like, ‘I’m concerned about this game. I’ve got to give you a face. I’ve got to simulate something that I really don’t feel.”

Deion turned to Michael Irvin on the set and said, “I’m sure he was prepared, I’m sure he was ready, I’m sure he was focused, but when I see things like that as a player, Michael, I’m thinking, ‘I don’t know’.”

Irvin responded,”Peyton looks like he’s ready, but Peyton also looks like he’s worried.”

There was a lot of pressure riding on Peyton’s shoulders leading up to the game and it should be no surprise that he was beginning to feel the weight of that pressure. His expression entering the stadium could have been a hint of what we would see later in the game.

Manning felt he was the one that had to do everything, and so he stared down his receiver which led to the game-changing interception.

There is no question that the four-time NFL MVP is one of the greatest quarterbacks in history and a lock for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, however, he will always hear criticism about his inability to perform in the clutch — as evidenced by his 9-9 career postseason record.

Perhaps Manning was concerned about his legacy and wanted to go out and have the game of his life. Just maybe, that was the “focus” that we saw.