Manning Heading Down an Ugly Road

I've always been a Manning fan, but the situation between
him and the Colts is getting messy and needs to end.

Peyton Manning is a legend, not just in Indianapolis, but to NFL fans everywhere. Lately, though, we've seen an ugly side of him. He's said some less than favorable things about the only franchise he's ever known, he's been a media hog during Super Bowl week, and this is all souring the relationship with his team to the point that it seems very unlikely he'll ever play there again.

Does this remind you of anyone?

Yes, Manning is heading down the Brett Favre road. He's not there yet, but can't you see it getting there? The Manning/Luck issue could be come similar to Favre/Rodgers. We're just a couple retirements, a couple comebacks, and a sexting scandal away from Favre II.

I hope it doesn't get that far. Putting myself in Peyton's shoes, I can understand wanting to fight for your spot and not wanting to be chased out of town. If he really didn't want to be a distraction, though, during Super Bowl week, he would have turned his phone off and continued his rehab somewhere far away from Lucas Oil Stadium.

Whatever the "right" solution is, I hope Manning and the Colts can reach it peacefully and without taking shots at each other in the media. 

In the end, it is a business, and Manning's enormous 28 million dollar roster bonus in March is a lot to commit to a guy who may never be the same again.

It would be great for Colts fans and the NFL if Manning could return for a swan song in Indianapolis before handing over the reigns to Andrew Luck. If he and Colts do part ways, though, I wouldn't mind seeing the Chiefs make room for him at Arrowhead. Hey, it worked okay once before, didn't it?