Archie Manning defends Cam Newton's news conference walk-off

Archie Manning came to the defense of Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton on Wednesday, drawing similarities between his abrupt exit from his post-Super Bowl 50 news conference and Peyton Manning bee-lining straight for the locker room after losing Super Bowl XLIV.

"It's really hard, really, really hard," Archie told reporters, via Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. "I like Cam. I'm not going to blast Cam. As a parent you say, 'I wish he'd have handled it a little different.' But it hurts."

When Peyton lost to the Saints in Super Bowl XLIV, he walked straight off the field without shaking hands with the New Orleans players. Archie said his son later texted Saints head coach Sean Payton and quarterback Drew Brees from the locker room.

"He did catch flak about it," Archie recalled. "I don't think until that game I ever had enough sympathy for the losing team in a Super Bowl. You're really probably the second-best team out of 32 that year, but you come away from that game and feel like you're 32nd instead of second.

"I can remember that. I remember how hurt (Peyton) was."

Newton did shake hands with Peyton, though, and had some kind words for the Denver Broncos quarterback.

"I'll tell ya, Cam couldn't have been nicer to me," Peyton said Monday on "The TODAY Show." "He was extremely humble, congratulated me, wished me the best."