Every time Denver Broncos QB Peyton Manning yelled out “Omaha!” in Sunday 26-16 victory over  the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship, $800 will be donated to Manning’s Peyback Foundation.

Eight Omaha-based companies pledged to donate $800 to Manning’s foundation for at-risk kids. “Omaha” was trending on Twitter after Manning shouted it 44 times against the San Diego Chargers in last Sunday’s NFL divisional round playoff game. Manning reportedly barked “Omaha” 31 times on Sunday against the Patriots, earning $24,800 for the Peyback Foundation.

Manning told the media last week: “I’ve had a lot of people ask what ‘Omaha’ means and, uh, ‘Omaha’ is a run play. But it could be pass play or a play-action pass, depending on a couple of things,” Manning deadpanned amid laughter from reporters this week in Denver. “Wind. Which way we’re going (on the field) and, uh, the jerseys that we’re wearing. It varies, really, play-to-play. There’s your answer to that one.”

More important, the Broncos are heading back to Super Bowl XLVIII on Sunday, Feb. 2 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., to play the NFC champs, the Seattle Seahawks. It will be the Broncos’ seventh trip to the Super Bowl and their first since a 34-19 victory over Atlanta in Super Bowl XXXIII on Jan. 31, 1999 in Miami.

More love to Manning came from Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, which named one of its recently born penguin chicks Peyton.

The Mendelsberg family had a lot to smile about leading up to the Denver Broncos game against the New England Patriots on Sunday.

They were hanging out at The Edge bar at the Four Seasons Hotel Denver for Maria’s birthday, but scooted to Sports Field at Mile High Station five hours prior to kick off so the Mendelsberg men could snag some autographs and photos.

They did manage to pose with Patriots owner Robert Kraft and CBS Sports analyst and former New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms.

Some of the players were willing, but some were prima donnas. No matter, it turned out our way in the end! Go Broncos and kill it in the Super Bowl.

Ken Mendelsberg, right, posed with CBS Sports analyst Phil Simms at the Four Seasons Hotel Denver on Sunday. (Ken Mendelsberg photo)

Ariana and Ethan Mendelsberg posed with New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft at the Four Seasons Hotel Denver before Sunday’s game against the Denver Broncos. (Ken Mendelsberg photo)

Eavesdropping on a woman after the Broncos game: “I thought I would have to chew through my Shellac nails, but thank goodness that didn’t happen!”

Broncos wide receiver Eric Decker and his country star (pregnant) wife, Jessie James Decker — arguably the NFL’s cutest couple — are featured in an eight picture spread in the February edition of GQ magazine and on www.gq.com.

The couple are snapped in provocative poses – cooking together (at least licking the bowl), canoodling in bed, bubble-bathing, “working out” in the home gym, horsing around among memorabilia — with Decker clad in distressed jeans (how distressed can they be when they fetch up to $700 a pair) and James in her unmentionables.

The point of the article – other than to feature titillating photos of a ridiculously attractive couple – is a denim discussion.

“When Denver’s newly ascendant star Eric Decker isn’t wearing his Broncos uniform, he’s kicking back in jeans with his (pregnant!) country-singer wife, Jessie James, and the crew of their reality series, “Eric & Jessie: Game On.” Here, he sports the season’s best beat-up, broken-in, and distressed denim — the kind you (almost) never want to take off.”

The story continues, “At the moment, James is lying low in Denver, pregnant with their first child, while Decker continues to build on his best season to date. In early December, he set the Broncos’ all-time record with four TD receptions in a single game. (‘I just cried the whole game,’ James says.) Decker’s teammates, meanwhile, have been enthusiastic about his entry into helmet-less television. ‘You’d be surprised,’ Decker says. ‘A lot of guys wanted to try and get on the show after the first couple of episodes.’ So what if walk-on roles were mostly limited to helping Eric pick out jewelry for Jessie? What are teammates for?”

Read more at http://www.gq.com/style/fashion/201402/eric-decker-jessie-james-distressed-jeans#ixzz2qaoEpHUX.

Jessie and Eric Decker pose for GQ photographers for a magazine layout. (Jessie James Twitter photo)

Late-night talk show host David Letterman used his national forum to ask the question on many football fans’ minds when former football great, talk-show host and Fox-TV NFL analyst Michael Strahan guested on the show Tuesday.

“I’m so tired of people screaming, ‘Omaha’…,” Letterman told Strahan, referring to Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning‘s favorite cue at the line of scrimmage. “Why does he do that?”

“Because (he) likes the steaks,” Strahan said.

Letterman also questioned why Manning moves around so much prior to the snap.

“When he goes to the line he looks like he’s got another job,” the talk-show host said. “He looks like he’s working part-time at a gift card store picking out stuff, running around, ‘Oh my God,’ we’re out of ribbon.’ Then he comes back and takes the snap. Is he the first guy to be so darn busy at his second job as a quarterback?”

“I don’t think anybody has made it look as difficult as Peyton,” Strahan said. “I’m still not buying all that is necessary. I think he says, ‘I’m doing all of this so kids at home think I’m cool.’ There’s no way, Dave, the other 10 guys on offense understand all that stuff. They’re not that smart.”

As to Strahan’s prediction for the Super Bowl? “Denver Broncos versus the Seattle Seahawks. But I could change my mind on Sunday.”

Former New York Giants defensive lineman and current TV host/analyst Michael Strahan, left, and David Letterman talked football, specifically Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning on ‘The Late Show With David Letterman” earlier this week. (Late Show/CBS photo)

Denver quarterback Peyton Manning‘s “Bud Light” remark during a press conference after Sunday’s victory over the San Diego Chargers, apparently got Colorado’s craft breweries in a lather.

Many were “hoppy” mad, according to Internet reports, when Manning had this to say following a question about whether retirement was weighing on his mind.

“What’s weighing on my mind is how soon I can get a Bud Light into my mouth,” he told members of the press. “That’s priority No. 1.”

Gulp! In a state that prides itself on being arguably the largest producer of microbrews (not to mention Golden’s Molson Coors’ operations), that comment equated to an incomplete pass.

And while Strange Brewing Co. and Denver Brewing Co. honchos expressed their displeasure with the QB’s statement, Longmont’s Left Hand Brewing Company threw a Hail Mary by sending cases of its local suds to Sports Authority Field at Mile High along with this note:

“Re: Omaha

“Mr. Manning,

“Just like you , we decided to call an audible and change the play at the line to provide you with some Colorado craft beer from Left Hand Brewery. We feel it’s a better play call.

“We’ll be cheering you on against the Patriots! Go Broncos!”

Left Hand Brewing Company may not have been pleased with Peyton Manning’s comments about drinking a Bud Light after the Denver Broncos’ victory over San Diego, but the Longmont brewer sends Good JuJu his way anyhow. (Left Hand Brewing Company photo)

Former Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow was almost on the money with his BCS Championship pick before Monday night’s national title game in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.

In his debut as a college football analyst for ESPN, Tebow predicted No. 1 Florida State would beat No. 2 Auburn. Tebow said in the ESPN pre-game show: “Auburn might be a team of destiny, but tonight, Florida State is deeper from top to bottom … I think they win 35-31.”

Florida State rallied in the final seconds to win 34-31.

Tim Tebow was just a point off in his prediction before Monday night’s BCS Championship on ESPN’s pre-game telecast. It was Tebow’s first telecast for the sports network. (ESPN photo)

Eavesdropping on a female Broncos fan before Thursday’s loss to San Diego: “We are going to the game tonight. Should be fun but cold!  Look for us on TV. We’ll be the ones in orange.”

As if Broncos uber QB Peyton Manning isn’t getting enough good publicity from the “legitimate” press these days, in steps fictional anchorman Ron Burgundy (aka funnyman Will Ferrell) with his own “hard-hitting” interview with No. 18 for a SportsCenter segment Thursday, Dec. 5 on ESPN.

Ferrell, who has been playing Burgundy in the news media (he anchored an entire half-hour on a Bismark, N.D., television station recently), will resurrect the character he made famous in “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues,” debuting on the big screen Dec. 18.

The YouTube trailer for the ESPN bit shows a split screen with the mustachioed anchorman interviewing Manning.

Burgundy opens the interview praising Manning despite the fact that the quarterback has gained significant success without the aid of a hairy lip.

“You look like a succulent baby lamb,” the anchorman observes while Manning chuckles.

Manning’s comeback: “I’ve managed to play quarterback OK without a mustache … Eli (little brother Manning and the New York Giants quarterback) tried to grow one but it didn’t look so good.”

Then Burgundy pulls out a “60 Minutes”-style probing question. “Tell me about your relationship with Thunder.”

Manning pauses and ponders. “You mean our mascot that runs up and down the field every time the Broncos score?”

Burgundy: “Oh yes, I’ve had my eye on that wonderful beast for decades.”

Note to Thunder owner Sharon Magness Blake: If you see a mustachioed man in a burgundy polyester suit lurking anywhere near Thunder, be afraid. Be very afraid.

To see the entire teaser, go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JlFAgXQzao.