Peyton Manning’s career began at the University of Tennessee in 1994. Four years and 89 touchdown passes later, Manning was selected first overall by the Indianapolis Colts in the 1998 NFL draft. After a rough rookie season the young quarterback turned the Colts’ fortunes around, leading them to a Super Bowl victory in 2007 and capturing multiple American Football Conference MVPs along the way.
Then 2011 happened. The years of brutal hits caught up with Manning and forced him to undergo a season-ending neck surgery. The first neck surgery started a series of follow-up surgeries that ultimately led to a Manning-Colts divorce. The Colts released the famed quarterback into free agency in 2012 and he was signed by the Denver Broncos.
Now, a slower Manning is leading the Broncos into their second Super Bowl appearance in three years, all at the age of 39. Despite a statistically down season, throwing for 9 touchdowns and 17 interceptions in 10 games, Manning isn’t necessarily going to throw in the towel.
A quarterback is the leading force of an offense, but he can only do so much for a team. The Broncos offense hasn’t helped Manning in terms of timing or the ground game. This was proven in Sunday’s matchup with the New England Patriots.
Even though both teams nearly split time of possession, the Patriots dominated on paper, with 292 passing yards compared to Denver’s 145 passing yards. Regardless, Manning showed that he still has some left in the tank to pull out a win when absolutely needed. He’s made a remarkable comeback from the potentially career-threatening neck surgeries he endured in 2011.
Recently, rumors of Manning's retirement have surfaced, as the Broncos have not expressed an overwhelming desire to bring him back, proven by the $4 million pay cut in his 2015 contract.
The Manning name carries weight and a loyal fan base that will follow him wherever he goes. The Broncos don’t want to lose that element, but at the same time they are not exactly eager to keep him around, especially with the potential of backup Brock Osweiler blossoming into a full-time starter.
The thought of Manning's retirement, however, is farfetched. His leaving the Broncos, on the other hand, could be a possibility. Coincidentally, the Cleveland Browns owner, Jimmy Haslam, is a contributor to the Tennessee Volunteers, which also happens to be Manning’s alma mater. Those two already have a working relationship, and although Cleveland isn’t exactly a glorious situation, it wouldn’t be surprising if the two sides were to collaborate in the near future.
Another brewing rumor is the possibility of Manning returning home to the New Orleans Saints. We know the hearsay is that Manning will return to the Colts, but I’d say he would retire before doing that.
Manning has caught a second wind and could potentially have offers coming his way, whether it be for a starting job or something else. After being an underdog in the last two playoff games of the season, Manning’s performances will leave the fans wanting to see more.