Talks with QB Peyton Manning: owner Jim Irsay speaks high of improved mood at Indianapolis Colts – NFL News
Indianapolis Colts’ owner, Jim Irsay, has spoken high of his relationship with the most-talked-about quarterback, Peyton Manning, apparently attempting to reflect on the improved mood at Colts’ headquarters as a result of talks between the two parties.
In the face of uncertainty and controversies around the recovery and return of Peyton Manning to Colts due to his neck injury, the ties between him and his employer, the Colts owner, Irsay, have been on the edge most recently.
This had led to an environment of contradictions, speculations and rumours at the Indianapolis, triggering a wave of criticism on the owner, who in the wake of sacking of all his managers and coaches was under an added pressure from the team’s fans, football
commentators and other members of the football community.
Following his confirmation of having been in talks with the quarterback in this month (February), the owner has claimed to have been enjoying good terms with the player.
"Him and I will always continue to be great friends, and I hope it's with him still being in a Colts uniform," Irsay said. "But we'll see as we go forward the next few weeks."
Without disclosing the issues that he has discussed with the player during what he mentioned to be recent talks, the owner said that it was an outcome of their good relationship that both of them have started talking to each other, which, he said, they have
agreed to continue in the future.
Irsay said that he has left the doors of the Indianapolis opened for the player, and it was upto him now to make a call for comeback.
The owner said that both, him and Manning, have talked during this month more than they had done so in another corresponding month in the past, and reflected on his optimism of finding a solution that is acceptable to both of them.
He refrained from making any comments on the recently disclosed reports of one more procedure on the neck of the player, which those reports claimed was his fourth instead of three that were claimed earlier.
Jim Irsay also did not set a timeline about an expected solution between them, except for that they have agreed to continuation of the talks.
None of the parties have revealed the points of discussion on their talks agenda, a majority of the commentators believe it could possibly be the deal restructuring issue, which makes the player to be vulnerable to facing a cut in his pay terms.
Peyton is already under pressure to prove his recovery, fitness and strength of throwing arm to become eligible for return to Colts or stand a chance of signing with any other team around the league.
This is something, the commentators believe, will put him in a disadvantaged position and he should be ready to accept an extension in the deadline of his $28 million bonus payment, due by March 8, 2012, and a possible cut in his benefits to stay with the
team as per his wish of finishing his career at Colts.
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