Colts to release Peyton Manning

[SLP]

My top three guesses:

Dolphins
Texans
Cardinals

As far as if releasing him was a mistake, we can't really know for sure because we are not privy to his medical records or his workouts. There were a lot of people who criticized the Packers when they traded Farve in order to move on with Rodgers. They ended up looking like geniuses when Rodgers won them a SB trophy.

The bottom line is we will not know the answer by how Luck does in year one (remember Peyton's 1st year), but instead how Peyton does the next two to three years.

[Netboy Extraordinaire]

That makes 2 fellas picking the Texans. Matt Shaub was having a career year before getting hurt last season. I would be shocked if he went to the Texans.

My Top 5 in Order are:

Arizona Cardinals - Because of Larry Fitzgerald

Miami Dolphins - If Matt Flynn does not beat him there first

Seattle Seahawks - Pete Carroll hated getting beat by Harbaugh when they were at USC and Stanford and he hates it more now. In Seattle, Peyton will have a running game in Marshawn Lynch, who just signed a long term deal

Washington Redskins - When was the last time they had a QB, Joe Theisman?

New York Jets - Mark Sanchez is not getting it done and he needs a mentor plus the Giants winning a couple of Super Bowls recently.

[DJD]

I bet Miami.

[Netboy Extraordinaire]

I bet Miami.

He might, but the new Head Coach in Miami Joe Philbin used to be Green Bay's offensive coordinator. Not saying Matt is better than Peyton but Matt will walk in knowing the offense

[SLP]

Peyton visits Miami first

http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/sports/...141809543.html

[SLP]

Washington Redskins - When was the last time they had a QB, Joe Theisman?

Unless he has no other options, I would be shocked if Peyton went to the Skins.

1) I don't think he would want to compete in the same division as his brother.
2) Their OL is a real question mark.
3) They have little offense weapons.
4) A very controlling coach (Peyton is used to having a lot of control of the offense)
5) Meddling ownership.

[Fishin is life]

I don't think Peyton will want to go to a team that can't contend for a super bowl....The teams listed don't have what it takes to get there even with Peyton, aside from maybe the Jets

Let me throw a sleeper out there for ya....The San Francisco 49er's...Alex Smith is currently out of contract and has yet to sign an extension...The 9er's have the BEST defense in the league, a really strong running game to keep Peyton off the ground, a dominant tight end, and recievers that are about as good as what he was working with in Indy....It probably won't happen, but would make a lot of sense for both sides wanting to win right now...Alex Smith has enough years in the league to prove that he's never going to be an elite quarterback

With all that said the Colts are idiots....Not only for releasing Peyton the quarterback, but for releasing Peyton the man...Not only was he one of, if not the best QB in the league, he was a serious class act and the face of the city....Why not bring Peyton back for a couple years and let him mentor Luck....Could the Packers have laid a more perfect blueprint out there for them...The money the Colts would have had to pay Peyton is probably less than or equal to the revenue Peyton brings to the town and to the Colts....I honestly feel bad for Peyton, and hope he has great success wherever he lands...You can't wish bad for Luck because of the situation he's been put into, but I'm not the least bit envious of him having to attempt to step in the rather large shoes Peyton laid out there

[Netboy Extraordinaire]

Alex Smith, 8 years in the league with 8 different Offensive Coordinators and not sure how many different coaches. With Harbaugh being a former QB and Smith getting his team to one game from the Super Bowl, unless he is asking for elite QB money, I say he is back. I think the Jets will push hard for Peyton. Ryan always predicts a Super Bowl for the Jets and Sanchez has had enough years in a stable environment to prove he can't get the job done. I say get rid of Romo in Dallas and offer Peyton the Moon. Jerry Jones needs to keep filling up that stadium and Romo is a better "Romeo" than QB

[DJD]

I don't see Peyton entertaining any serious interest in the Jets. I don't see him standing in the shadow of his little brother. It's gonna be very interesting on how he determines where he is gonna play if he actually does play at all. No matter what he does I really do wish him the best!! He is one of the good guys in a league full of thugs and wanna be thugs.

[Netboy Extraordinaire]

What I do know is Peyton Manning is a CLASS ACT! I have seen Professional Athletes hold press conferences because of retirement or trades but I have never seen a Man stand up there and speak from the heart like Peyton did yesterday. Here is a Man that has been outstanding on and off the field for Indianapolis and Irsay is an absolute FOOL for not keeping him. Draft Luck and let him sit a couple of years behind Peyton and you will have a shot at making the playoffs next year and every year until Peyton retires then you won't miss a beat when Luck steps in. Green Bay laid the road map for this to work.

[mhall]

What I do know is Peyton Manning is a CLASS ACT! I have seen Professional Athletes hold press conferences because of retirement or trades but I have never seen a Man stand up there and speak from the heart like Peyton did yesterday. Here is a Man that has been outstanding on and off the field for Indianapolis and Irsay is an absolute FOOL for not keeping him. Draft Luck and let him sit a couple of years behind Peyton and you will have a shot at making the playoffs next year and every year until Peyton retires then you won't miss a beat when Luck steps in. Green Bay laid the road map for this to work.

I totally agree with this Woody. That wasn't acting boys he meant those words, you can just tell when a man is sincere and he was just that. Gov Mitch Daniels who I really like alot says Peyton has done a ton for Indiana's people and he also said Peyton always asks him to keep his name out of it....

Top notch in my opinion...

[SLP]

I agree Peyton is a class act. The entire Manning family is that way and Archie and Olivia really should be complimented for having raised some fine young men. What really stood out for me in the press conference was when asked the question, what his best memory was. A question like that is clearly inviting a player with so many accomplishments as Peyton has to respond with some type of self recognition of a milestone. He instead emotional spoke of the personal relationships with the people behind the scene, such as the equipment personal. The man is genuine, humble and everything you would want in a star.

That said I still think it is unfair to blast Irsay. Truth be told there are only a handful of people right now that even know the truth behind what was said between the two men. We do know that Archie came out publicly and said Peyton and Luck playing together wouldn't be welcome and likely wouldn't be a working option. That was very telling. For all we know Irsay made Peyton a fair offer to stay while Luck learned under him and Peyton demanded they not draft Luck as a condition to stay with the Colts. We don't know if Peyton demanded the entire 28 million ( I think that was the amount) owed him under his current contract or if not he would leave.

Irsay is a rich kid who took over the team and I would agree has a much more unlikable persona then Peyton's, so he is an easy target so I understand the easy path is for most people to blame him entirely. However without the true facts we just don't know the entire story of events. Maybe one day it will all come out, but right now it is only speculation.


The man has a responsibility to do what he believes is best for the organization. The fact is even with all the great seasons Peyton has had even when healthy and in his prime they only won one championship with Peyton as the QB. Irsay is now faced with the reality of an older Peyton having missed an entire year and may end up never again be the same player he once was on the field. Does he pass the opportunity to draft what many speculate could be the best QB of this generation if put in the situation of having to choose between the two options?


Irsay very well may have screwed the situation up entirely on his own in some attempt to be the next Jerry Jones celebrity type of owner quasi GM. I am not arguing it wasn't that, but then again it could have been the exact opposite and he did everything possible to make the situation work. We just don't know the facts. Only time will tell if this ends up being better for the Colts or not.