SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Jordan Norwood’s second-quarter 61-yard punt return was the longest in Super Bowl history. The return led to a field goal to put the Broncos ahead 13-7. Norwood’s previous career-long punt return was 16 yards. John Taylor of San Francisco had the previous long return of 45 yards in Super Bowl XXIII.
“It was a short punt, and a lot of times guys will just run past it. And they didn’t, but I just decided to roll with it,” Norwood said.
Asked if he thought Carolina thought he was going to call a fair catch, Norwood said, “Probably. That’s usually what happens in that situation.”
Norwood said he didn’t call for a fair catch because he sensed an opportunity to make a big play. “I thought with the short punt maybe guys would run past, but they didn’t.
It was the longest punt return of his career at any level. “I didn’t even return punts in college,” he said.
C.J. gets the start. Running back C.J. Anderson started for the first time since Oct. 18 at Cleveland. Anderson started five of the first six games of the season before coach Gary Kubiak made Ronnie Hillman the starter, beginning Nov. 1 against Green Bay.
Sunday, he accounted for all 90 of the Broncos’ rushing yards (3.9 average) and scored the offense’s only touchdown on a 2-yard run in the fourth.
Harris shoulders load. Chris Harris admitted in the celebratory locker room that he’s hopeful he can avoid surgery on his left shoulder. Harris said he suffered through a nerve issue.
“Any time it got healed, it would just go dead,” Harris said. “I hoping it will just heal from rest, just sitting around with my daughter.”
Keeping cool. Emotions run high in the Super Bowl, and cornerback Aqib Talib was the early victim. Talib had three penalties on the Panthers’ only touchdown drive, including two personal fouls that kept Carolina flowing.
Love for the kicker. Brandon McManus was 10-for-10 on field-goal attempts in the playoffs. He knocked in another three Sunday. Panthers kicker Graham
Footnotes. Peyton Manning reluctantly took a $4 million paycut last winter, negotiations that began in earnest while he was on a hunting trip. He reclaimed his money with a strong finish, earning $2 million each for the AFC championship game and Super Bowl by winning and playing 70 percent of the snaps. … Two injured players who figure to play significant roles for the Broncos next season walked the field in the pregame: tight end Jeff Heuerman, who tore his ACL before training camp, and left tackle Ty Sambrailo, who had his rotator cuff repaired during the season. Both are expected to compete for starting jobs in 2016. … The MVPs of the 49 previous Super Bowls were honored in a pregame ceremony Sunday. … Kubiak is the first head coach to win a Super Bowl for the same franchise he played for.
