Owner Jim Irsay refutes QB Peyton Manning’s remarks of bad situation at Indianapolis Colts – NFL News
Indianapolis Colts' owner, Jim Irsay, has reacted strongly to the remarks from their quarterback (QB), Peyton Manning, who called the environment bad at Colts, yesterday, since the team’s former managers and head coach left.
Manning, in his comments to a local newspaper, had expressed his displeasure over so many officials leaving the team in one go.
He said that he was saddened over the news of all the officials fired.
The team’s owner, who introduced his new head coach, Chuck Pagano, at a news conference, called the QB a politician and regretted his choice of going public with the issue the team and the player were confronted with.
"I don't think it's in the best interest to paint the horseshoe in a negative light, I really don't," Irsay told reporters, referring to the team's longtime logo.
He added:
"The horseshoe always comes first, and I think one thing he's always known, because he's been around it so long, is that, you know, you keep it in the family. If you've got a problem you talk to each other, it's not about campaigning or anything like that."
It was for the first time for Irsay to have gone public about the lingering issue of Peyton Manning’s recovery from his neck injury and return to the side.
The latest comments from both parties, apparently in explanation their situation, have reflected on the strain in the relationship between Manning and Irsay.
Following sacking of all those managers and coaching staff, who had worked with Manning, during his stay at the team, the relationship between the two has further aggravated.
In reaction to the firing, Peyton Manning said that he was disappointed to know that so many people are leaving the team and that the environment was increasingly deteriorating at the headquarters.
This prompted Irsay to play down the hype generated by Manning’s comments.
He said that the player should have discussed the situation within the house.
It did not settle down the QB, as he within hours of Jim Irsay’s discussion of the issue at the press conference, came out to his own defence, saying that he hoped the issue was resolved within the house.
Colts finished the 2011 National Football League (NFL) regular season with two wins and 14 losses.
Manning sat out the entire season due to his neck injury, and his team, without him being on the side, could not pull off a win until their 14th game of the season.
The owner has introduced sweeping changes in the side since closure of the regular season. All their managers, head coach and assistant coaching staff have been terminated by him.
After hiring of the head coach a couple of days ago, which followed the hiring of their general manager earlier, the future of Manning with and without Colts is expected to be next major point on Irsay’s agenda of rebuilding the team.
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