Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay seeks extension in QB Peyton Manning’s bonus deadline – NFL News
Indianapolis Colts’ owner, Jim Irsay, has finally come out with an admission about the possibility of him seeking to negotiate the deadline of $28 million bonus payment to their quarterback, Peyton Manning, and said that both parties could agree to an extension
in the stipulated date of March 08, 2012.
His confirmation of him going into negations with Manning on the issue of optional bonus payment to him comes a couple of weeks after some reports had hinted that the owner was interested to seek a delay in the deadline.
Under the terms of Manning’s deal, Colts have to pay $28 million to the player by March 8, and if they miss the deadline he will become an unrestricted free agency, attracting any of the potential buyers of his rights of playing for them.
Irsay said that he would have a meeting with Peyton Manning within a week to discuss the matter and hinted at the possibility of their agreement on delaying the payment beyond the month of March.
"Look, anything is possible if the two parties choose to get together," Irsay told journalists, in the perspective of the QB’s $90 million contract with Colts.
This is for the second time in a span of about two weeks that Jim Irsay has expressed his willingness for meeting the player to discuss his future. He had earlier pointed out at the possibility of such a meeting, which was expected to be held sometime during
past week, and his latest statement has reflected on that meeting never took place between them.
Peyton Manning, who did not play a single game or practiced for the Indianapolis Colts during the 2011 National Football League (NFL) regular season, is due the payment of bonus this year and despite that Irsay has spoken about the player’s issue more often
he never really disclosed if they are going to make the payment.
Only assuring statement from the owner is that a final decision on retaining the player to their side next season or letting him go free agency will be down to his health.
Manning is recovering from his neck surgery since September 2012, which was his third in past 19 months, and there is no confirmation of his chances of playing football or returning to Colts next season or more seasons to come.
The player himself has repeatedly spoken of him holding great prospects of playing the game and his apparent desire of committing himself to Colts in the longer run.
He in one his recent statements said:
"I really feel good. I continue to make progress every day," he said. "Everything that the doctors have told me has been on point, which is encouraging to me. I just had a great day today with rehab, just got back from the facility, and that's what we continue
to do. Just keep trying to get better. So far I have. That's the plan from here on out."
The latest assurance of having meeting with the player is expected to resolve the issue and determine his future course.
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