I’ve heard that everything ends badly; otherwise, it wouldn’t end. The corollary is that if something is going to end badly, it’s best it end quickly. At the very least, by March 8th.
If Peyton Manning is on the Indianapolis Colts roster on March 8th, he will be due a bonus payment of $28 million. It’s looking more and more like that won’t happen. If Manning doesn’t retire, he’ll be released or traded but he will not play quarterback again for the Colts. If you think this is cruel and unusual, consider the fact that Johnny Unitas didn’t finish his career with the Colts, either. Brett Favre didn’t finish with the Packers. Joe Namath didn’t finish with the Jets.
Joe Montana didn’t finish his career with the 49ers.
(Get a haircut, hippies!)
It makes sense, of course. Colts owner Jim Irsay is blowing things up. New GM, new HC and soon a new QB. When you’re in rebuilding mode, you’re going to cut aging, expensive veterans. Jeff Saturday is probably gone. Reggie Wayne, too.
And Manning.
The Cardinals, Seahawks, Jets and Dolphins all seem to believe they’re just a Peyton Manning away from a Super Bowl run, assuming Peyton Manning is still Peyton Manning, of course. Despite the reported interest, a trade seems unlikely. Why give up picks and/or players when Manning’s almost certainly going to be released before that $28m bonus is paid? Based on the public pronouncements of Manning and Irsay and the report that new GM Ryan Grigson hasn’t even met with Manning it would seem the Colts have already moved on.
I’m going to miss him. Seriously. Beating Manning and the Colts meant something. There was no such thing as a regular season game between New England and Indianapolis. In Football Heaven, it will be Peyton and Tommy, choosing up sides, trading touchdown passes and 4th quarter comebacks while God watches from the owner’s box.
As a free agent, Manning gets to dictate where he goes. He hardly needs my advice but I’d say the Cardinals with All World WR Larry Fitzgerald looks like his best destination. It worked out pretty well for Kurt Warner.
I thought I saw on ESNP that Saturday announced he was retiring.
ReplyDeleteI've missed Peyton, too. You'd think that after three surgeries on your NECK you'd realize the football gods were trying to tell you something, namely, retire already you idiot or you'll end up paralyized.