Rachel Heaton
The Paw Print
He played 208 games in fourteen seasons, racking up 399 touchdowns and throwing for 54,282 yards. He was an eleven-time Pro Bowl selection and six-time American Football Conference Player of the year. He is the only player to win four National Football League MVP awards.
He led his team to a 29- 17 victory over the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI in 2007 and was named MVP for that game. After being the number one draft pick in 1998, he completed eleven ten-win seasons for his team.
Peyton Manning is no doubt a stellar quarterback. He also no longer plays for the Indianapolis Colts.
On Wednesday, March 7, Indianapolis Colt’s owner Jim Irsay announced that the team and Manning would part ways. A situation that was so unimaginable just a season ago has become a reality. A choked up Manning along with Irsay addressed the situation in a press conference where Manning thanked his fans and the people of Indianapolis. He and Irsay both stated that the decision was not based on money, though many people believe that this was a factor. If the Colts had stuck with Manning, they would have owed the QB a 28 million dollar bonus. Furthermore, Irsay announced that no one will ever where the number 18 jersey again for the Colts.
The announcement comes after Manning missed the entire 2011-12 season while recovering from surgery on a neck injury. Without Manning under center, the Colts fell to 2-14. So, now the league and the rest of the country is left to wonder what will happen next.
For the Colts, they hold the number one draft pick and seem set to draft quarterback Andrew Luck out of Stanford. Luck passed for 3517 yards and 37 touchdowns and was the subject of much discussion in the football world this season.
As for Manning, he will perhaps be one of the most sought after free agents, hearing propositions from multiple teams around the league. Many fans, and even some players, are clamoring for him to join their team.
Many teams have already been thrown around in discussion. Some of the teams that appear to be ahead in the race for Manning are the Arizona Cardinals and the Miami Dolphins. The Cardinals boast having arguably the best receiver in the league in Larry Fitzgerald. Arizona fans think that the combination of Fitzgerald and Manning would be the key component to catapult them to the top. However, many fans still believe that Manning will take his talents to South Beach, where he can hook up with Brandon Marshall, another strong receiver.
ESPN analysts believe that the QB might try to avoid signing with an NFC East team. They say that Manning most likely will not want to compete with his brother Eli twice a year and also compete for a spot in the playoffs.
As for Manning’s health, he says that he is improving every day and that he has gotten to practice a little with some of his former teammates.
No matter where Manning ends up, he will be under tremendous pressure. The team that acquires his services will immediately be deemed a contender and it will be up to Manning to deliver.
What’s Been Said…