Peyton Manning doesn't want to go anywhere. The longtime Indianapolis Colts star quarterback and chief rival of New England Patriots legend Tom Brady was disappointed to see the Polian's let go, but he wants to return to the team that he built into a powerhouse.
Archie Manning, Peyton's father, spoke to the media after presenting the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award prior to Monday night's BCS Title game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the LSU Tigers. Here's what he had to say.
Archie Manning says Peyton Manning's priority is his health, and the quarterback hasn't given much thought to how the upheaval in Indianapolis will affect him. Manning missed the entire season after a third operation on his neck. The father of the Colts' quarterback also said "without a doubt" that Manning and Andrew Luck could co-exist if Indianapolis chooses the Stanford quarterback in the NFL draft. (via Associated Press/Yahoo! Sports)
Of course, Peyton Manning's status wouldn't be in question if the Indianapolis Colts hadn't done so poorly without him, earning the right to pick first overall in the 2012 NFL Draft after finishing the season with a 2-14 record. The Colts have announced their intentions to pick Andrew Luck, a quarterback out of Stanford, with the No. 1 overall pick.
Will the Colts turn to Luck right away, or will they allow Manning to finish out his career with the team? Patriots fans may not like Manning, but they have to respect him and what he's brought to the storied Patriots-Colts rivalry.
I for one hope he returns, but all the signs seem to point towards Luck taking the reigns.
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