"There is no other team I wanted to play for" - When Peyton Manning made feelings clear about Colts exit
The NFL can be harsh at times, and despite MVP-level performances, not every player can expect a swan song ending. Even NFL greats like Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, and Peyton Manning had to suffer the fate of finding a new team at the tail end of their careers.
In the case of Brady and Rodgers, it was they who were looking to start fresh somewhere else. Meanwhile, Manning wanted to stay but had to agree to move on after talking to team owner Jim Irsay.
During a media appearance with Irsay in March 2012, a tearful Manning announced his exit from the Indianapolis Colts:
“Nobody loves their job more than I do. Nobody loves playing quarterback more than I do. I still want to play. But there is no other team I wanted to play for.”
Manning was the only athlete ever to win four NFL MVP awards. With over 50,000 passing yards, nearly 400 touchdowns, 11 Pro Bowl selections, and a Super Bowl MVP award, it was shocking to see Manning in free agency.
“I have no idea who wants me, what team wants me, how this process works," Manning told a group of reporters in South Florida, where he has a home and flew after the news conference. "I don't know if it's like college recruiting where you go take visits. I mean, this is all so new to me.”
Peyton Manning had a concerning injury history, featuring a serious neck injury that required surgery. With that, the Colts felt the time was right to move on. However, a player of Manning’s caliber in free agency was a rare commodity.
As a result, many teams—such as Arizona, Miami, Seattle, Tennessee, Washington, and the New York Jets—were interested in him. Manning joined the Denver Broncos, and the rest is history.
Why the Indianapolis Colts wanted to move on from Peyton Manning
While many were shocked to see Peyton Manning leave the Colts, Jim Irsay had his reasons to end their relationship with their star quarterback. Manning underwent multiple neck surgeries in 2011, including a spinal fusion that caused him to miss the entire NFL season.
Moreover, Peyton Manning was due $28 million in 2012 from his $90 million five-year contract extension. Manning was 35 when Indy made the decision to move on, looking to secure the long-term future of the franchise.
The Colts suffered a 2-14 season in the absence of their veteran QB, which earned them the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft. The Colts used that pick to draft Andrew Luck and didn’t hesitate to invest in him as their future.