Peyton Manning reportedly is still interested in playing next year, though it almost certainly won’t be with the Denver Broncos if he does, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.
As a guest on ESPN’s “Mike & Mike” show Tuesday morning, Schefter shed some interesting light on the subject of Manning’s upcoming retirement decision:
“He’d like to keep playing. In a perfect world, he’d like to keep playing. The question is who’s going to give him an opportunity. And it’s tough to identify that team right now that’s willing to sign him to the deal that makes it worthwhile for him, that allows him to continue playing.”
Based on Schefter’s take, it appears the Broncos aren’t going to be a part of Manning’s future, regardless of his desire to play. But then again, it’s hard to find a match that fits both parties.
“Does he want to go move to another city? Because I think everbody at this point accepts and understands that he’s not going to be back in Denver. So the question is where does he go and play. It’s not going to be the Houston Texans. It’s probably not going to be the Los Angeles Rams. So you go find a team that would be willing to sign him.”
If all this is true, then kudos to John Elway for being one of the best actors in a sea of them around the NFL.
We all know and understand that misinformation is the currency of the offseason, but Elway’s performance the past few weeks since Super Bowl 50 as it relates to Manning’s impending decision has been stellar.
If “everybody at this point accepts and understands that he’s not going to be back in Denver” this upcoming season, then what Schefter’s report also indicates is that perhaps the Broncos and quarterback Brock Osweiler have an understanding, too, about him coming back this upcoming season.
This report opens up all sorts of interesting avenues to consider.
Schefter also mentioned the other career opportunities for Manning, should he fail to come up with an alternate football plan outside of Denver. It’s well known that he could have a career as an NFL front office man or as a television analyst. He’s probably be great at both professions, but he won’t love them like he loves playing football.
Manning reportedly will not announce any decision until next week. Perhaps he’s taking this long right now to make an announcement because behind the scenes he’s looking for work. If that is indeed the case, then we’re going to have a lot of fun thinking about how he fits with a new team next year in the months to come.