Denver Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak has admitted that he was always confident that quarterback Peyton Manning would return for the 2015 season.

The 39-year-old refused to rule out retiring from the NFL after the Broncos' defeat in the divisional round of the playoffs as he struggled for form towards the end of the season.

Manning mulled over his decision for a month before opting to return to the AFC West side, and also took a pay cut to help the team in free agency.

When asked if he was worried about the length of time it took the quarterback to decide his future, Kubiak said: "I didn't feel that way about it, you know, I just think that they were going through a process that they had agreed to go through, he and John [Elway], as they left for the off-season.

"But all my conversations with him are very positive. I always felt, in my mind, like he wanted to continue, he was trying to work through some things and make sure he felt good and felt healthy, so I guess I didn't see it that way."

Manning threw for 4,727 yards along with 39 touchdowns to 15 interceptions for the Broncos in the 2014 campaign.