Richard Sherman: 'Peyton Manning is one of the greatest quarterbacks ever'

Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman has backed Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning following his disappointing performance in last night's Super Bowl.

Manning went into the match with many people claiming that a second Super Bowl ring would cement his legacy as the greatest quarterback in NFL history, with the 37-year-old having already been named the league's MVP for a record fifth time.

However, the 37-year-old threw two interceptions in the first half as the Broncos' record-breaking offense were dominated by the Seahawks' defense on the way to a 43-8 defeat.

Sherman was keen to give Manning credit after the match, insisting that he is still a top player and just came up against a team in good form on the night.

"I think it was a total team effort, and it took a lot of discipline and hard work. And hats off to Peyton Manning. He's the offensive MVP, offensive player of the year, and no disrespect to him," Sherman told reporters.

"He's still a great quarterback, one of the best [of] all-time. But today we just played sound football, we were able to execute, and we did it."

Sherman was forced to leave the game in the fourth quarter after suffering a high ankle sprain, but he rejoined the celebrations on crutches later.