Quarterback Peyton Manning is no longer a member of The Indianapolis
Colts as the future Hall of Famer was released from the only team that
he has played for. Colts owner Jim Irsay had to make the tough decision
which he felt was best going forward for the franchise. Manning was due a
roster bonus of $28 million on March 8 that could have hamstrung The
Colts, especially since uncertainty still lingers around Manning’s
surgically repaired neck. Doctors have cleared Manning to resume
throwing and his arm is getting stronger, but we have still yet to see
how his body will react to getting hit. The Colts have the first
selection in April’s National Football League Draft as there isn’t any
doubt that they will select Stanford Cardinal quarterback Andrew Luck.
For The Colts, history is indeed repeating itself.
In 1973, Colts owner Robert Irsay dismantled his Baltimore Colts team
with the intent of rebuilding. Irsay traded quarterback Johnny Unitas,
linebackers Ted Hendricks and Ray May, and defensive end Roy Hinton. It
was a tough sight for fans of The Colts as Unitas was the Peyton Manning
of that era. Unitas was traded to The San Diego Chargers and it was
evident that his skills had greatly diminished. By 1975, The Colts were
once again competitive as they would win three consecutive AFC East
Division titles.
In the present, Jim Irsay knows that he must rebuild. For the past few
seasons, Manning was asked to do everything for The Colts as this came
to the surface last season when Manning sat out with a neck injury. The
Colts finished the season with a record of 2-14 and general manager Bill
Polian was fired. Polian failed to surround Manning with talent and The
Colts suffered. Most people did not expect The Colts to be a playoff
team without Manning, but they struggled to get those two victories.
Irsay saw enough and he realized that the team must go in a new
direction.
The Colts will have a fresh start with general manager Ryan Grigson and
head coach Chuck Pagano. Going forward Grigson will have to surround
Luck with the supporting cast to win. Luck will have to face the same
pressure as Bert Jones did in 1973. Jones was selected second overall as
the man to replace Unitas. It didn’t take long to see that The Colts
had a new strong armed quarterback under center. Jones never led The
Colts to a championship like Unitas did, but he did make a name for
himself. It will be interesting to see how the fans in Indianapolis will
receive Luck. Manning is a legend in Indy who was the face of the
franchise for over a decade. Luck cannot worry about replacing Manning,
but just about writing his own chapter. Luck is a big quarterback that
can throw and run. Luck has all the leadership qualities that a team
needs in a quarterback. Luck has already been compared to John Elway for
his skills. Luck will never make people forget about Manning, but he
will make people remember Andrew Luck.
Saying goodbye in sports in never fun. Irsay will take some criticism as
people feel that he should have kept Manning and remained loyal. Irsay
and Manning are friends and have respect for one another. This was a
business decision. Irsay had to do what was best for him and Manning had
to make the best decision for him. If Manning cannot be the quarterback
that he once was then Irsay looks like a genius. If Manning can still
get it done, then Irsay will become public enemy number one in
Indianapolis. Stay tuned as The 2012 NFL season has gotten interesting
before it has even started.
Thank you, The Colts will survive.
Nice read big guy! Keep it up.