NFL Rumors: Peyton Manning Retiring With Denver Broncos, Might Still Be Upset With Indianapolis Colts
NFL rumors are swirling around Peyton Manning this week. The legendary quarterback is said to be retiring with the Denver Broncos instead of the Indianapolis Colts, the team where he spent the majority of his career with, according to Fox Sports. When the Colts and Manning recently announced a press conference together, the belief was that he was going to sign a one-day deal with Indianapolis. There might be some hard feelings still left over here.
When Peyton Manning missed the entire 2011 NFL season, the Indianapolis Colts found themselves in a very difficult position. If they moved on, then they run the risk of their fan base turning on them for not showing loyalty to Manning, their longtime franchise quarterback. If they stuck with Manning, then they run the risk of missing out on Andrew Luck becoming their new franchise player. The Colts opted to think about their future and drafted Luck from the Stanford Cardinals.
Peyton Manning understands that the NFL is a business. Tough decisions have to be made by players, coaches, and executives. Manning understands why the Indianapolis Colts allowed him to walk away and sign with the Denver Broncos. However, Manning is still human, so there are some feelings involved. After giving years of his life and career to Indianapolis, he was forced to find a new home in the National Football League.
Aside from a rough patch during this past season, things worked out pretty well overall for Peyton Manning with the Denver Broncos. The former Tennessee Volunteers star made it to two Super Bowls with the Broncos, winning the most recent NFL Championship before deciding to retire as a winner. Prior to bringing in Gary Kubiak as their new head coach, the Broncos gave Manning all the freedom in the world. They also surrounded him with talent.
After Peyton Manning announced that he was retiring from the NFL, it was a heartwarming moment when the Indianapolis Colts and Manning announced that they were doing a joint press conference together. The two sides announced that the Colts were going to be retiring the No. 18 jersey that Manning proudly wore in Indianapolis for more than a decade. The Colts also announced that they would be building a statue in honor of Manning.
The decision by Peyton Manning to retire with the Denver Broncos might not sit too well with Indianapolis Colts fans. They recently had to witness their former starting quarterback winning a Super Bowl while wearing a foreign jersey. Colts fans also had to go through a really awful season where Andrew Luck struggled because of injuries. While the decision might not seem that important to many, emotions are involved, so fans might not be quick to forgive.
For a while, there were heated debates between Indianapolis Colts fans as to who the greatest player in the history of their franchise is. The battle was and is between Peyton Manning and Johnny Unitas. Both are legitimate hall of fame players in the NFL, so either choice would make sense. However, with Colts fans potentially being upset with Manning for retiring with the Denver Broncos, more votes could be headed towards Unitas from here on out.
At the end of the day, this decision might be overthought by the masses. It might not be as important to Peyton Manning as it is to the fans and the media. This could be something as simple as Manning simply not wanting to draw too much attention to himself by signing a one-day contract with the Indianapolis Colts. Peyton might have inadvertently drawn attention to himself by doing this.
[Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images]
