Jim Irsay and Peyton Manning: The family at dispute – Part Three
Whether Indianapolis Colts’ quarterback, Peyton Manning, will return to play another season for his team remains an unanswered question, as the controversy around the issue of his recovery from his neck injury and future prospects continues to linger on.
Some anonymous sources have hinted that he most likely to be a history for Colts. Some reports even claimed that a decision to this effect has already been made.
This prompted the owner, Irsay, to deny the reports forthwith. His denial has been seen minimizing the impact of the controversy more than realistically looking at the issue.
He tweeted that Peyton Manning was still a Colts, and the decision about his future had not been made yet.
His denial may well be in the line of his former and outspoken chairman, Bill Polian, who said that Manning remains the only viable options for Colts.
Polian, who had been vocal about the issue of Manning’s health throughout the 2011 National Football League (NFL) season, has yet again come out to support the quarterback.
It was the failure to find and groom a replacement for Manning that cost Polian his job, he admitted in his post-sacking comments.
Manning had been at the starting position for Colts for last 13 consecutive seasons. The year 2011 was his only miss at the team, and without him being in the side, Colts could not pull off a win in their first 13 games.
They were well on the course to become the only second team in the league to have finished a season without a win. The St. Louis Rams is the only team to have gone down so low. Their wins in the 14th and 15th games helped them to avoid
such a possibility.
As admitted by Polian, it was the total dependence on one man that cost their team the entire season and then jobs of all their managers and coaches, which further deepened the crises the team was in due to its poor performance on the field.
The absence of Manning had also reflected on the poor quality of Colts talent. None of their players in the 52-man squad could help them out on their chances for wins.
The team, which has been through to playoff season at many occasions in the past, ended the year 2011 as being the second worst on the league.
Only notable point of their past season is their eligibility for a top draft prize this year. The rule is that a team, which finishes at the lowest, deserves top draft prize. The Indianapolis Colts have the opportunity this year.
It is also an issue of their prospects for signing a rookie quarterback that they are giving a second thought to their Manning’s preference. The new draft pick has so far been described to be Stanford College’s quarterback, Andrew Luck.
Luck is considered to be a player of high stature and calibre in his college league and apparently Colts are hopeful to train and groom him in the longer run.
They see him in the perspective of a Manning’s replacement in the longer run. Again, it is the matter of a decision on Manning’s future first that will confirm their approach towards signing of the prospective rookie QB.
Manning is due a payment of $28 million in bonus by March 08, 2012, and it is for Irsay to decide whether he is going to make the payment and retain the player on their roster or let him free agency, otherwise.
The near future might determine their choice. For the time being, the owner is keeping his cards closer to his chest, giving enough room and space to media and rumour mongers to ride on the hype and turn the issue into controversy and rift within the Indianapolis
Colts family.
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