Behind The Scenes On Peyton's Search For New Team

[Peyton and Eli fan]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1196623/index.htm

[Peyton and Eli fan]

"When the Hall of Fame quarterback sat with Manning alone at the club, Elway saw a person "in shock" over being cut and imagined what it would have been like if the Broncos, for whom he played his entire career, had released him after 13 or 14 seasons. "There's got to be a dagger in your gut right now," Elway told Manning. "Take your time. Be thorough. Make the right decision, whether it's us or someone else.""

[Peyton and Eli fan]

"When Manning flew to Phoenix on Saturday night to meet with the Cardinals, his every move was again being tracked. Knowing now that he could be tailed wherever he went, Manning thought of a way to confuse his media pursuers. Where can I fly where there's no chance I'll play next year and where nobody will figure I'd go to meet a team? he wondered. And it occurred to him: Indianapolis! He told the Dolphins to meet him on Monday at the Indianapolis airport. In peace."

[Peyton and Eli fan]

That night 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman came to see Manning throw on a lighted field at Duke. First they watched from a car by the side of the field, then, to get a better view, they came onto the field, hoodies pulled over their heads so as not to be recognized by some nosy iPhoner. Manning texted his mother, Olivia: "You'll never guess who I just worked out for. He was wearing a hoodie."

"Bill Belichick?" she responded.

Good one! Nope, Jim Harbaugh.

[Mameluc]

I was a little sad when read that he really believed he was going back to the colts one day before the presser

[supremecoltsfan300]

Great Article, really surprised how King got all this great info.

Thanks for posting.

[MrPreGame]

Pete Carroll is dumb for surprising him. He should have known Peyton is too calculated to want a spur of the moment meeting.

[theblueplague]

Awesome article

[subvet]

"When the Hall of Fame quarterback sat with Manning alone at the club, Elway saw a person "in shock" over being cut and imagined what it would have been like if the Broncos, for whom he played his entire career, had released him after 13 or 14 seasons. "There's got to be a dagger in your gut right now," Elway told Manning. "Take your time. Be thorough. Make the right decision, whether it's us or someone else.""

OK, maybe it was the right decision, now I like Elway more.....

[FireJimCaldwell]

Manning had told the Titans to meet him at the University of Tennessee football facility in Knoxville on Saturday morning. As Manning drove to the grounds, he saw reporters and camera crews and called Titans coach Mike Munchak, who was driving east on I-40 from Nashville. "The facility's packed with media," Manning said.

"I didn't tell anyone!" Munchak replied.

"Don't worry," said Manning. "Just keep driving, and when you get close, call me, and I'll tell you where to go."

Roger Frazier, Manning's old equipment manager with the Vols, found a field at the private Webb School in Knoxville. Manning called Munchak and told him that when he got off the highway at the appointed exit, he should look for a black car at the end of the ramp and follow it. Munchak did. After a few blocks they pulled up behind another car—Manning's. No media in sight. Manning led them to the field. Though it was raining and water was pooling in one spot, Manning said, "I'm fine." Undisturbed, he threw 55 passes. Then they all went for cheeseburgers.

Some decisions have consequences. Huge consequences..

[hawkeyes]

LOL, thats some funny stuff!

[chad72]

That was one heckuva read!!! Thanks for sharing!!!

[21isSuperman]

Great Article, really surprised how King got all this great info.

Thanks for posting.

I believe King and Peyton are pretty good friends. I wouldn't be surprised if Peyton told him the story over a meal or something.

Pete Carroll is dumb for surprising him. He should have known Peyton is too calculated to want a spur of the moment meeting.

Pete Carroll...I don't even know what to say about him. Can't stand the guy

Great article!

[coltsflow]

Wow this is great insight! Thanks for posting this. How the heck do these guys figure this stuff out.

[JCPatriot]

Why is this article dated April 2, 2012?

[ReMeDy]

Why is this article dated April 2, 2012?

Perhaps that is when this article should have been posted, but the website guy jumped the gun and posted it?

[Peyton and Eli fan]

Why is this article dated April 2, 2012?

I think it's from the upcoming Sports Illustrated, but Peter King tweeted the link to it this morning.

[RGIII]

Fascinating stuff.

Midway through the evening Elway received a text telling him the Redskins had just pulled off a huge trade with St. Louis for the second pick in the draft, presumably to take prized Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III. Elway told Manning, "Whoa—Washington just traded for the second pick. Looks like they'll get RG3."

"What!?" Manning said, stunned.

From that reaction, Elway knew that the Redskins had been on Manning's list.

Puts that situation in perspective. We went from being rumored as strong contenders for Peyton (a claim made by both the media and some lesser known folks with insider contacts) to a team with no shot in a span of a few days. Makes sense that the trade up was the catalyst for the sudden change in demeanor.

Pete Carroll is dumb for surprising him. He should have known Peyton is too calculated to want a spur of the moment meeting.

Even if you had kept that post to just the first four words I would have found myself nodding in agreement

[Fx Stryker]

This is like some secret agent stuff. I like the Titans part.

I was a little sad when read that he really believed he was going back to the colts one day before the presser

Of course he did. He was hurt more than us. So those who say we should have seen it coming the man himself didn't.

[JCPatriot]

Man, the thought of Peyton Manning and Brandon Stokely working out at a public park because there was a lacrosse team using the field at the high school they were going to go to is just bizarre. The entire sports media conglomerate was probably camped outside of every NFL facility in the country waiting for a chance to see him throw, and he's out throwing in a public park.

[Mameluc]

Man, the thought of Peyton Manning and Brandon Stokely working out at a public park because there was a lacrosse team using the field at the high school they were going to go to is just bizarre. The entire sports media conglomerate was probably camped outside of every NFL facility in the country waiting for a chance to see him throw, and he's out throwing in a public park.

yea i also was thinking about that...that was amazing

[MEAT]

I bet there was some kid saying Daddy look that is Peyton Manning, and the Dad saying that is impossible...

[JCPatriot]

Hee hee. If that kid exists, I hope he reads this article.

[schwamm]

Really interesting article. Kinda made me tear up a little.

[Gavin]

I question all that article especially cause of the date, Im not one to believe every article that and Indy newspaper or magazine comes out with

[FireJimCaldwell]

I question all that article especially cause of the date, Im not one to believe every article that and Indy newspaper or magazine comes out with

Peter King is one of the most respectable journalists.

The date is the street date of the hard copy Sports Illustrated magazine.

There is no reason not to believe it.

[Peyton and Eli fan]

I question all that article especially cause of the date, Im not one to believe every article that and Indy newspaper or magazine comes out with

It's Peter King from Sports Illustrated. The date is the date the magazine hits the newsstands.

[Gavin]

I find it hard to believe Manning was in shock given our cap space at the time and the fact he was do 28 million. also I know Jim had to be aware of the backlash he was going to get for cutting Peyton, thats not just something he was going to do out of the blue and I just dont see Peyton not knowing....could happen, I just believe it was discussed at one point

[Gavin]

ah I see, i didnt know that, I dont read SI

[Peyton and Eli fan]

I find it hard to believe Manning was in shock given our cap space at the time and the fact he was do 28 million. also I know Jim had to be aware of the backlash he was going to get for cutting Peyton, thats not just something he was going to do out of the blue and I just dont see Peyton not knowing....could happen, I just believe it was discussed at one point

I don't think he expected the $28 million. He might have expected that they'd re-do a deal rather than just being released.

[Gavin]

theirs one flaw with that though for Irsay to make a new deal Peyton would have to say ok Jim Ill renegotiate that 28 million to finish off my career as a Colt, I dont remember that happening, not saying it didnt, I just am not aware of it and I have moved on anyway and looking to the future, my take on it is simply what we got at the news conference, that it was a mutual decision

[Peyton and Eli fan]

theirs one flaw with that though for Irsay to make a new deal Peyton would have to say ok Jim Ill renegotiate that 28 million to finish off my career as a Colt, I dont remember that happening, not saying it didnt, I just am not aware of it and I have moved on anyway and looking to the future, my take on it is simply what we got at the news conference, that it was a mutual decision

I don't think Irsay offered. Sounded like he said he was going to move on - they never got to the money discussion. It wasn't like the negotiations broke down.

[Gavin]

I don't think Irsay offered. Sounded like he said he was going to move on - they never got to the money discussion. It wasn't like the negotiations broke down.

even if Irsay didnt offer he was doing Manning a favor we were clearly rebuilding and alot of our players were way overpaid, My point is their had to be some discussion at some point to get to the news conference and release of Manning, I dont see Irsay just saying ok Manning ready for that news conference thats gonna bring me all kinds of heck for your release....see what I mean, maybe Irsay never offered but he didnt have to at the time because their was still one year left, point is we dont know what all happened behind closed doors, I also dont see Irsay as a bad guy in all of this

[Peyton and Eli fan]

even if Irsay didnt offer he was doing Manning a favor we were clearly rebuilding and alot of our players were way overpaid, My point is their had to be some discussion at some point to get to the news conference and release of Manning, I dont see Irsay just saying ok Manning ready for that news conference thats gonna bring me all kinds of heck for your release....see what I mean, maybe Irsay never offered but he didnt have to at the time because their was still one year left, point is we dont know what all happened behind closed doors, I also dont see Irsay as a bad guy in all of this

Didn't say he was. Would have preferred he kept Manning and traded the picks, but it wouldn't have worked to keep Manning and Luck.

[Superman]

Very good article, mostly free from opinion. Actual sports reporting, which is rare anymore.

[19colt]

I think Irsay made his mind up a while ago to go with Luck/Rebuild and this was only stretched out to make each guy look better in the public eye and to give Manning time to be ready to audition for new teams.

[Kyle]

This really sucks. As much as I try to move on a just be a fan of the colts it is really hard the more info I hear. Sounds like irsay pushed manning out of Indy. He in no way "did manning a favor"! If he wanted to be a colt, he should still be a colt.

[TennEngr]

Excellent article. I read it twice and will probably read it again.

Several above can't believe that Peyton was in shock because he had to know it was coming. You can still be in shock when something of great magnitude happens and you know it is coming. I believe Peyton was in shock as Elway said and I have no reason to doubt Elway. I also believe that Peyton knew he was not going to be with the Colts.

Here's hoping the Colts draft another great quarterback. GO COLTS!

[oldunclemark]

http://sportsillustr...96623/index.htm

That really is very well done...Peyton really did think he was coming back to Indy like a lot of us...

I wish things had ended differently

[oldunclemark]

Manning had told the Titans to meet him at the University of Tennessee football facility in Knoxville on Saturday morning. As Manning drove to the grounds, he saw reporters and camera crews and called Titans coach Mike Munchak, who was driving east on I-40 from Nashville. "The facility's packed with media," Manning said.

"I didn't tell anyone!" Munchak replied.

"Don't worry," said Manning. "Just keep driving, and when you get close, call me, and I'll tell you where to go."

Roger Frazier, Manning's old equipment manager with the Vols, found a field at the private Webb School in Knoxville. Manning called Munchak and told him that when he got off the highway at the appointed exit, he should look for a black car at the end of the ramp and follow it. Munchak did. After a few blocks they pulled up behind another car—Manning's. No media in sight. Manning led them to the field. Though it was raining and water was pooling in one spot, Manning said, "I'm fine." Undisturbed, he threw 55 passes. Then they all went for cheeseburgers.

Some decisions have consequences. Huge consequences..

Cheeseburgers have consequences too.

Dont ask me how I know.