While most of the talk since the Denver Broncos and quarterback Peyton Manning emerged victorious in Super Bowl 50 has centered on whether or not Manning will call it quits on his illustrious, 18-year NFL career, or try to squeeze one more season out of his bruised, battered body, the viewpoint that has seemingly seldom been considered is that the Broncos, led by GM John Elway, may not want actually Manning back. But according to a recent report, that very much is the case.
"John Elway is done with Peyton Manning, and he won't be back with the team next year," Charlie Campbell of Walter Football revealed Monday morning. "The relationship between Manning and Elway has deteriorated over the past season, and Elway is ready to move on."
There was talk at the outset of the 2015 league year that Elway had held negotiations, specifically with the Houston Texans, regarding a potential trade of Manning. Nothing, of course, came of it and Manning remained in Denver, aiding the team to that Super Bowl 50 as best he could.
But in the process, Manning showed clearly just how far removed he is from the days when his Colts and Broncos teams revolved around him and him alone. The Broncos didn't reach and win Super Bowl 50 because of Manning, they reached and won in spite of him.
The now 39-year-old Manning, playing with a surgically repaired neck, managed just 9 total touchdowns this past season. Let that sink in for a moment - the man only two years removed from tossing 55 touchdowns and just 10 interceptions on that same surgically repaired neck totaled an abysmal 9 touchdown passes, 17 interceptions and 1 fumble. In the Super Bowl, Manning and the Bronco offense rolled up just 194 yards of offense, the lowest total for a Super Bowl-winner in the game's 50-year history. Manning was as much a hindrance to the Broncos efforts in the run up to and into that game as he was an aid. It's why he was benched in favor of Brock Osweiler midseason and why nearly everyone expects him to call it quits this offseason.
But Manning has not yet given an indication of his plans. The Broncos, on the other hand, may have.
Osweiler, the longtime heir apparent to Manning, and the team are reportedly looking to begin negotiations on a new contract. Osweiler played well in place of Manning this season, collecting 170 completions, 1,967 yards and 10 touchdowns in 8 games of work. He wasn't lights out and didn't warrant keeping Manning on the bench once he'd returned to the lineup and played well, ironically, in place of an injured Osweiler in Week 17.
But Osweiler represents the future, represents possibility, while Manning is, at best, considering one more last-gasp run at a Lombardi. Sure, it would be perfect for Manning to go out on top. But it would also be a better story were his second Super Bowl win not surrounded by talk of HGH and a 20-year-old sexual assault at Tennessee.
It may be enough to push Manning back out onto an NFL field in 2016, but it may, among other things, also be enough to keep the Broncos from bringing him back.
