Peyton Manning was released Wednesday after 14 years with the Indianapolis Colts. After months of banter back and forth through the media between Jim Irsay and Manning, they handled Manning's goodbye press conference about as well as one could expect. It was clearly an emotional time for both of them and both said all the right things.
However, it is hard to believe this decision had nothing to do with money like both Irsay and Manning inferred. Irsay pointed out on more than one occasion that the Colts are rebuilding after last season’s disaster, but one could easily argue though that had #18 been in the huddle, they would have been the same old Colts, fighting for a right to play in the Super Bowl in their own building. To me, everything points to one thing, it was about the money.
If Peyton Manning were not due a 28 million dollar bonus today, he would still be around. He could have groomed expected number one overall pick Andrew Luck for two to three years, and coach Jim Caldwell and President Bill Polian could have kept their jobs. However, with Manning’s contract and bonus being the way it was, I believe the Colts made the right move. With Manning leaving, why not just start a completely new era.
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