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Broncos New Safety Says Manning Almost 'Isn't Human'

DENVER (CBS4) - A big crowd was on hand at the Tavern Downtown Monday night to see CBS4's sports show Xfinity Monday Live.

"People must be sensing football season is right around the corner," said host Vic Lombardi at the start of the show.

The Broncos start Training Camp in two days, and veteran safety Mike Adams, a new member of the team and the guest on the show, can't wait. Adams was only able to pick off new quarterback Peyton Manning one time during minicamp. He hopes to ramp that number up significantly during Training Camp.

"As long as he keeps throwing them to me, I've got no problem with it," Adams joked.

Adams, 31, is in his ninth year in the league and has been impressed with the Broncos organization since he signed here in the offseason. The league veteran has played with the Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers, and now he gets to play in Denver's defensive backfield with someone he used to idolize -- Champ Bailey.

"I told Champ I had his poster in college," Adams said. "When he was with the Redskins I was a huge fan."

Adams said he and Bailey were impressed on many occasions during minicamp as they lined up to defend against passes by Manning, a four-time NFL MVP. At one point Adams and Bailey were both covering Eric Decker and they came off the field shaking their heads about how perfectly Manning's pass came in to the receiver.

"I'm looking at Champ and I'm like 'What happened?' " Adams said.

Manning's work ethic and intensity level at practice definitely has had an effect on everyone, Adams said.

"Everyone has to step their game up. It boosts everybody's confidence and playing level because his mindset -- the way he thinks and the way he sees the game -- it's different. He's not human ... I don't think he's human," Adams said.

Adams said he and all of his Broncos teammates are disturbed by what happened in Aurora last Friday. The mass shootings took place at a movie theater near Adams' home. He was on the East Coast last week and saw what transpired on TV.

"I couldn't believe it when I got the news. When I was here for OTAs I was actually going to that movie theater. It's scary because if I had come to Denver earlier for Training Camp, I probably would have been there," he said.

Several Broncos players have been visiting with survivors of the shooting in hospitals in the Denver metro area, and Adams plans to do his part to help, too.

The Broncos players are gathering at team headquarters this week for physicals on Wednesday and their practices start with morning drills on Thursday. And like everyone in this community, the deadly shooting will be weighing heavily on their minds.

"At the end of the day we still have to refocus and go out there and play the game because we have huge goals this year," Adams said.

- Written by Jesse Sarles for CBSDenver.com

Watch more of the video with Mike Adams in the Xfinity Monday Live section.

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