According to host Dan Patrick of ‘The Dan Patrick Show’ and his sourcing, one of the first calls that Indianapolis Colts team ownership made on Monday, following the firing of longtime general manager Chris Ballard, was to former legendary (and Hall of Fame) franchise quarterback Peyton Manning:
While it may be the Colts just doing their due diligence and not leaving anything out about their latest GM search, this isn’t the first time the Colts have reportedly approached Manning about rejoining the franchise—as it was previously for the franchise’s potential Team President role.
In particular, the last round was in early 2017 (by 1075 the JMV of the Fan) under late team owner Jim Irsay, before Ballard was hired later that offseason as their new general manager. This latest reported attempt, if it really happened, will go to her daughters, and that means team owner and CEO Carlie Irsay-Gordon.
In early 2017, multiple sources reported that Jim Irsay made a strong “secret” push in Houston using his private jet to pair Manning, as his new team president, with former Oakland Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers Super Bowl winning head coach Jon Gruden leading the sidelines:
While there are preliminary reports (from 1075 The Fan’s JMV) that Manning privately felt he wasn’t ready for an NFL GM job at the time, There has also been speculation that Manning would have to accept a ‘minor’ ownership stake in the team in order to be seriously considered for any top NFL football leadership position as an employee:
“The question is whether Manning, who many believe has ownership aspirations, will do anything unfairly,” wrote PFT’s Mike Florio in early January of 2017. “Which begs the question of whether Irsay will shave off a few percentage points to ensure the franchise’s value will be enhanced by the tireless effort Peyton Manning will bring to the annual quest for football supremacy.”
That’s still a question that remains unclear about the transfer of ownership from the late Jim Irsay to his three daughters, and as Dan Patrick noted Monday, Jim Irsay never considered it when it was shared privately. Since then we have seen other organizations open to it like the Las Vegas Raiders with Tom Brady, as their new limited partner and minority team owner.
In my honest opinion, Manning makes more sense as the Colts’ new President of Football Operations, much like the role of fellow Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway who previously served with the Denver Broncos and former Colts starting quarterback (and possibly future Hall of Famer) Matt Ryan currently serves with the Atlanta Falcons.
In Atlanta, under Ryan, Ian Cunningham serves as the team’s general manager, conducting day-to-day football operations.
For Manning and the Colts, this would be the perfect arrangement, especially given Manning’s off-the-field interest and effort in Omaha Productions, etc., as well as most notably, family commitments and time with his wife and twins.
Manning oversees the football department as the new face of the Colts’ organizational operations collectively, bringing leadership, accountability, and football expertise to a higher level—with a smart new general manager working under him doing the heavy-lifting in football ops and working on the day-to-day grind from a player personnel evaluation, roster management, and scouting standpoint.
In fact, it’s not all that different when Larry Bird previously served as the Indiana Pacers President of Basketball Operations, with Kevin Pritchard as general manager and VP of basketball operations way-back-when.
In any case, if the Colts are reaching out to Manning from a potential President of Football Ops, General Manager, or even as an informal consultant from a “who’s the next hire” perspective, it makes sense to pick the brain of one of the greatest football minds to ever play for the franchise, when they’re at their peak.