Indianapolis No Longer Peyton’s Place … Peyton Manning and Colts to Part Ways Today, End of an NFL Era in Indy

When the unthinkable becomes the obvious choice for the future …

It is a slap in the face to fans in Indianapolis … The NFL is a business, nothing more, nothing less. The fans cannot accept that the Colts ownership would not put their neck out for Peyton Manning.

THE DAWN SETS ON MANNING’S COLTS CAREER

At this afternoon’s press conference it will be officially announced that the 14 year run of QB Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts will be parting ways. Colt’s owner Jim Irsay will cut Manning and not have to pay the $25 million bonus he would be owed.  For pure football fans this is an outrage. However, the NFL is not your father’s or grandfather’s NFL.

Peyton Manning’s 14-year career with the Indianapolis Colts is coming to an end after owner Jim Irsay informed the four-time NFL MVP on Monday night that the team will release him, according to team sources.

Irsay and Manning traveled together Tuesday night from South Florida on Irsay’s private jet and will conduct a joint news conference at noon ET on Wednesday, which sources said will be to announce the quarterback’s departure.

Manning will officially become a free agent once the Colts submit his release to the NFL, the league processes it and places his name on the waiver wire. That could happen as soon as Wednesday afternoon, as the league typically distributes that list at about 4 p.m. ET each weekday.

The hand writing was obviously on the wall when the Colts had a fire sale with their coaching and GM’s in the off season. With the Colts having the number one draft pick and eying Stanford University’s QB Andrew Luck, the 2000 pound gorilla in the room became what to do with Peyton Manning. For most, the unthinkable became the obvious … Peyton Manning would not retire a Colt.

The next big question is where will Manning play in 2012?

But before that, the fans of Indy are still in shock and feel betrayed. I would just make a couple of comments to those fans who seem to be lacking a little history when it comes to the Colts and other QB’s that did not play their entire career with one team. First, the greatest travesty ever perpetrated by Colts ownership was their leaving Baltimore under the cloak of darkness on a snowy night. If one can do this, abandoning a player seems like child’s play.

Second, everyone might remember a QB named Joe Montana who played for the San Francisco 49′ers and lead them to 4 Super Bowls. I would dare say that Joe would be deemed one of the best if not the best quarterback to ever play the game. Where did he finish his career, hint, it was not in SF.

Sadly an era has come to an end but Peyton Manning now has the opportunity to call hi shot and pick a new team that he feels has the best chance to win a Super Bowl. That is of course that his neck is ok.