He should have been given a chance. Yes, Andrew Luck has proven himself to be NFL ready and is without a doubt the Indianapolis Colts’ quarterback of the future. But Peyton Manning, the face of the franchise for 14 seasons, should have at least been given a chance– the opportunity to prove that he was still his team’s quarterback of the present. Instead, Indianapolis made a business decision in releasing Manning this past offseason. He would have been owed $28 million dollars had they not.
Manning was turning 36 years old and coming off of a lost season after his third neck surgery in just 19 months. Whether or not he could ever return to his previous form remained an unknown. Concern on behalf of the organization was both understandable and warranted. However, the league’s only four-time MVP, who started every single game in his 13 healthy seasons with the Colts, 227 in a row to be exact, was a risk worth taking. Or so one would think. Manning brought Indianapolis from the depths of NFL oblivion, to a 2007 Super Bowl title and the heights of relevance. He deserved better than this.
There was really no reason, other than financial, to cut the perennial Pro-Bowl selection. The team was an abysmal 2-14 the year that Manning was unable to play and ended up with the No. 1 overall pick in April’s draft. With this pick, the Colts could have still selected Luck in case Manning’s neck injury proved to be insurmountable. If the contrary occurred, which we now know that it did, and Manning was in fact able to continue playing at a high level, Luck could have learned from him for a couple of years. He could have eventually taken the reigns even more prepared than he was as a rookie. There were several reasons to not cut the franchise player, but the Colts chose to do so anyway. They cut him from the team that he helped build, and the only one for which he wanted to play.
This is why my favorite NFL moment of 2012 was seeing Manning run out onto the field for the Denver Broncos in week one against the Pittsburgh Steelers, beating them a sound 31-19 and showing glimpses of the player that he once was– solidifying hope, that he could become this player once again. Now, with the Broncos poised to make the postseason and Manning a legit MVP candidate, No. 18 has come full-circle. There is even a chance he may meet the Colts in the playoffs. What sweet, poetic justice that would be.
The Colts may have forcefully turned a page in Manning’s story, but he has achieved his deserved redemption and is now in position to re-write the ending. The fact that there was ever any doubt seems a bit foolish in hindsight, for Manning remains exactly who we thought he was.
Acamea Deadwiler has held a sports column with Examiner.com for several years. She has also contributed to SLAM Online and Bounce magazine, among other national and regional publications. Follow Acamea on Twitter @AcameaLD.
