Peyton Manning, Colts Officially Announce Split After 14 Years

The Colts probably already have a good idea of what the market is for him. They also probably have numbers in mind as far as a contract goes. With multiple teams potentially involved, Manning’s going to have the leverage here, the ability to choose the best spot for him and he’ll get paid a ton of money for it.

Almost every team in the league should be at least exploring the idea of Manning. A team with a strong need at quarterback obviously makes the most sense, but Manning is regarded highly enough that even teams with good-but-not-great quarterbacks will be checking him out.

That includes the medical parts of all this. Manning doesn’t have to let the doctors of other teams examine him. He won’t have to work out for a team, if he doesn’t want to. That’s significant because the biggest question mark with Manning is his health. That’ll make a few teams uncomfortable.

Kirwan’s entire article is worth a read but this part sums it up:

I’d agree with that. There has been some perceived tension between Irsay and Manning because we’ve seen leaks from both camps stating their case so I was curious to see how this press conference would go. We only know Manning as this quarterback that’s always in control so it was unusual to see him expressing emotion and getting choked up talking about his departure from Indianapolis.

Manning also spoke to the Colts fans, thanking them for their support over the last decade-plus.

SB Nation’s Brad Wells, who runs Stampede Blue, has a surprise candidate for Manning’s next destination in SB Nation’s latest YouTube offering:

Check out the full video above for more on the type of offense Manning will bring with him to his next team and just who that next team might be.

Manning confirmed that he planned to play for someone in 2012, he’s just not sure where. He was asked a few times about where he might play next season and he mostly side-stepped the question, choosing instead to reflect on his time in Indianapolis.

I got a feeling he’s put at least some thought into where he’ll play next.

Manning, who missed the entire 2011 season due to a neck injury, said he’s been making progress on his bid to return to the field in 2012.

There wasn’t much hesitation when Manning was asked if he’ll be back. He said he was confident he’ll be able to play but hasn’t thought much about his next team.

Irsay had to stop and compose himself a couple of times throughout his speech as he talked about the process that led to Wednesday’s press conference.

Those circumstances, as Irsay explained, were mostly the Colts salary cap situation. The Colts are rebuilding now, something Irsay said several times. It simply didn’t make any sense for him to stay on the Colts roster but it was still a difficult day for the Colts organization and their fans.

Irsay explained the situation and the reasoning behind the Colts’ decision:

Manning will certainly receive any number of opportunities to succeed. Many NFL teams are rumored to be interested in pursuing the new free agent.

Following the emotional announcements by Irsay and Manning, the pair opened the floor to questions. One reporter asked whether Manning feels he is still able to play and contribute.

Manning will have no shortage of teams attempting to court him in the coming months.

The Indianapolis Colts have done what we all knew they eventually would -- release Peyton Manning. The iconic Indianapolis quarterback now becomes a free agent, perhaps the most sought after free agent in NFL history.

The next question is: where does Manning play next?

You can watch a live stream of the press conference in a few different spots. The Colts will be hosting one at their website, which you can view here. ESPN will also have live online streaming. You can also watch it on regular old TV at ESPN or NFL Network.

The interest in this press conference is very high, obviously. A player of Manning’s caliber, even with some health question marks, rarely hits free agency. Manning will become a free agent on Wednesday afternoon after the Colts make it official with the league.

Ultimately, the answer will have less to do with the health of Manning’s surgically-repaired neck than it does the nerves along his right arm.

Manning’s most recent operation, the fourth performed on his neck, was performed last September to relieve arm pain and weakness due to the presence of a bulging (herniated) disc in his neck. A herniated disc occurs when the contents of the cartilage that normally separate the vertebrae spill out and start “pinching” on the nerves that exit the spine. The type of radiating pain that often follows is referred to as radicular pain (or radiculopathy) and may be felt in other parts of the body such as the leg or arm. Along with pain, numbness, tingling and muscle weakness can be present in the affected extremities. Although a herniated cervical disc (located in the neck) may originate from trauma or injury to the spine, the symptoms commonly start spontaneously and without warning.

SB Nation’s Colts blog, Stampede Blue, says Wednesday’s announcement should be a day to celebrate Manning’s career in Indy.

For more on the Colts and their decision to release Manning, visit SB Nation’s Colts blog, Stampede Blue. And for an Indiana perspective, visit SB Nation Indiana.

Manning and Irsay arrived together in Indianapolis on Tuesday night for the Wednesday press conference, which takes place at noon.

There are plenty of questions about Manning and his ability to play -- and where he’ll play -- in 2012. Let’s start with the biggest one.

Tuesday was a testament to the strategic brilliance of the NFL. That “bounty” scandal, the one termed “earth-shattering” by an unnamed league official in Sports Illustrated, got pushed to the side because Peyton Manning will be released Wednesday at a noon (ET) press conference. That news was not earth-shattering.

You’d never know that from watching ESPN, which treated the situation with the gravity of an assassination attempt. But as much as some would love to knock the Worldwide Leader -- which, as a matter of disclosure, helps with my mortgage every month -- it isn’t out of step with the people it’s serving. That tenor was shared by a significant sample of the social media universe and, of course, the people on the Indianapolis local news. As if we haven’t seen this coming for six months. The NFL is good at this.

After football fans seemed to be blindsided by something as shocking as sunset, their attention immediately turned to where Manning will play next. Assuming, you know, he plays again, which still isn’t guaranteed. We also have no idea how much money it will take another team to sign him. And, most importantly, we have no indication what compromises a quarterback whose run his own offense for years will be willing to make to fit in with an established offensive scheme or coaching staff.

But you already want to guess where Manning will play next? I got you. Here’s a rundown of possible destinations for Manning, all with pros and cons no more ridiculous than forecasting what will happen in a situation few outside of the psychic population truly have any grasp on.

Clearly, Dockett realizes what Manning could do for Arizona. He’s one of the league’s all-time great quarterbacks and these types of players rarely hit free agency.

For more on the Colts and their decision to release Manning, visit SB Nation’s Colts blog, Stampede Blue. And for an Indiana perspective, visit SB Nation Indiana.

It’s possible the split truly is as amicable as the Colts and Manning want everyone to believe. Manning and Irsay were on the same flight to Indianapolis on Tuesday night, and they left the airport in the same car, briefly stopping to tell a group of reporters they’d talk more on Wednesday.

“We’ll see y’all tomorrow,” Manning said, repeating himself several times while dodging questions. “We’ll talk tomorrow. We’re good. We’re going to talk tomorrow. We’re going to do it the right way tomorrow.”

From Rice’s interview with Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group:

For now, it seems that Harbaugh is in fact looking at this differently. According to Jason La Canfora of NFL.com, the team remains focused on signing Alex Smith to a long-term deal instead of holding out for a shot at Manning. It’s possible those talks could turn on a dime, though, as Smith and Manning are both represented by agent Tom Condon.

The biggest question surrounding Manning’s future is his arm strength, but a video of him throwing at Duke University last weekend suggested that he’s nearly at full strength. Several teams, including the Dolphins, Jets and Seahawks, have reportedly discussed pursuing the future Hall of Famer.

For all news and information regarding the Indianapolis Colts, please visit Stampede Blue and SBN Indiana.

ESPN reports that Manning and the Colts will jointly announce the quarterback’s release at a news conference on Wednesday, allowing Manning to join whichever team he chooses.

Manning’s future in Indianapolis was in doubt throughout the 2011 season as he was sidelined with a neck injury. There was speculation that Manning’s career might be over altogether, but he has been medically cleared to continue playing and recent reports indicate that he is very close to full strength and ability once again.

It was previously believed that the Colts had to make a decision by Thursday, March 8, when Manning is due to be paid a $28 million bonus. That decision is still widely believed to result in Manning’s release. But on Tuesday morning, one report said that the Colts could technically drag it all the way until Sunday due to the language of the contract. Upon further clarification it was revealed that the Colts’ real deadline for releasing Manning is Friday.

But Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star writes on Twitter that you can “take it to the bank” that the Manning situation will be resolved prior to Thursday.

The league year ends on Tuesday, March 13. So two days before the new league year is Sunday, March 11, and that’s the final day the Manning decision comes down to, not Thursday, March 8.

But here’s where it gets tricky: all league business must be completed by 4 p.m. ET on Friday for it to count that week. So, really, the Manning deadline is this Friday. But there’s no reason for them to wait unless there’s a legitimate effort to re-sign him to a new, team-friendly deal, and that shouldn’t be happening. The Colts would only be delaying the inevitable by waiting.

Teams looking for a starting quarterback in free agency have clearly fallen upon hard times. And just like most of us when times get tight, proper decorum will not allow them to admit it. Usually, teams claim to be looking to make their quarterback situation “more competitive” or “finding an experienced backup” as thin veneer of pride.

There are a couple of options in the quarterback lot this year that could legitimately help a team. One might even be a centerpiece for a team, someone worth the trouble of changing your offense. Beyond that, teams have rows and rows of options that hardly inspire.

The video shows four different throws by Manning, who is in shoulder pads and a helmet. It was edited down to just show those four throws, all shot from different angles and places on the field. The video also appears to be shot on some kind of low-fi camera equipment, resulting in poor quality.

H/T Chris Mortensen

We’re still not totally sure where Manning stands but a lot of signs point to him playing in the 2012 season. The Colts will have to make a decision on him before March 8, the date his $28 million roster bonus hits. The likely result is that he’ll be released.

The Manning decision from the Colts should be coming soon and then we will see the pursuit of perhaps the most sought- after-player in the history of free agency.