No Longer Their Man

Manning's ability to manage a game from
the line of scrimmage was unlike any-
body's in league history.

A 35-year-old colt is leaving his herd, but not by choice.

It was just last July, the Indianapolis Colts signed quarterback Peyton Manning to a five-year $90 million contract extension, that seemingly put the final touches on a career that would end with a horseshoe on his helmet.

But how quickly things can change.

According to multiple team sources, the Colts will release Manning rather than give him the $28 million bonus he is due on March 8 and pick up the final four years remaining on his contract, making Manning a free agent for the first time in his career.

An official announcement is expected to be made on Wednesday in a joint press conference with owner Jim Irsay and Manning, ending his 14-year run in Indiana.

The decision does not come as a surprise after Manning missed the entire 2011 season, undergoing his third neck surgery in the last 19 months - fourth overall. It was the first time in Manning's career he missed a game, playing in 208 consecutive regular season games - 227 including the postseason.

That is the second most to Brett Favre's 321 overall.

As for the the team, the Colts took a giant gallop backwards without Manning, finishing the season 2-14. It was their worst finish since 1991, when they went 1-15. But if it meant anything, it showed how valuable Manning has been to the franchise since being selected with the No. 1 pick in 1998.

Since moving to Indianapolis in 1984 and prior to Manning's arrival, the Colts held a .395 winning percentage in the regular season, a division title, won two playoff games and have no Super Bowl appearances.

Compare that to the game's Manning actually played in.

Indianapolis has won .678 percent of their regular season games with Manning under center, captured eight division titles, accumulated nine playoff wins and played in two Super Bowls.

Drafted out of Tennessee, Manning threw a rookie record 26 touchdowns, starting what would eventually become an NFL record for the most consecutive seasons with 25-plus TD passes (13). But with that instant success came a lot of growing pains. He was also intercepted 28 times that season - the only year he has thrown more interceptions than touchdowns.

Manning would lose his first three playoff starts before finally defeating the Denver Broncos in an AFC Wild Card matchup on Jan. 4, 2004, 41-10. He completed 22 of his 26 passes that day, throwing for 377 yards and five TDs.

But then came the Tom Brady-led New England Patriots.

Manning and Co. would lose to the Patriots in consecutive AFC Championship games by a combined score of 44-17. However, both of those games were played in the snowy confines of Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA.

A trip back to the then-RCA Dome would make all the difference.

After an early round exit against the Pittsburgh Steelers the following year, the Colts returned to the AFC Championship Game in Jan. 2007, hosting it for the first time in franchise history.

Their opponent. New England.

This time Manning would finally get the monkey off his back, overcoming a 21-6 halftime deficit and rallying Indianapolis past the Patriots. He outscored Brady 22-13 in the second half in the team's 38-34 victory and their first AFC Championship title since 1970.

The win would ultimately lead to Manning's his first and only Super Bowl title thus far, defeating the Chicago Bears in a sloppy and rainy game in South Florida, 29-17.

He was named Super Bowl XLI's Most Valuable Player.

It wouldn't be until 2009 that Manning would don the Super Sunday stage yet again. This time it came with agony, losing to the New Orleans Saints, 31-17 after starting the season a perfect 14-0 before then-head coach Jim Caldwell decided to pack it in for the final two games, planning to rest his starters for the postseason - a plan that obviously backfired.

If in fact Manning is releases Wednesday then Jan. 8, 2010 would have been his last as a Colt. It was the team's most recent playoff game and defeat, when they fell to the New York Jets, 17-16. In the game, Manning threw for 225 yards and a touchdown.

He leaves Indianapolis with a 9-10 record overall in the postseason, but holds all the franchise's passing records, including career wins (141), touchdowns (399), completions (4,682), attempts (7,210) and yards (54,828).

Throughout his career as a Colt, Manning defined preparation and hard work, even developing the signature no-huddle offense back in 2001.

Manning's best season came in 2004, when he threw for 4,557 yards, a then-record 49 TDs and only 10 INTs. But 2010 wasn't bad either after setting career-highs in completions (480), attempts (679) and yards (4,700).

The 11-time Pro Bowler has been named the AP NFL MVP a record four times in his career (2003, '04, '08 and '09).

He was the fastest quarterback in league history to complete 4,000 passes and throw for 50,000 yards. Manning guided Indianapolis to the postseason 11 times in 14 years, including seven AFC South titles over an eight-year span.

Manning resurrected a franchise in need, and will now pass the torch to someone else to do the same.

With this decision the Colts are almost assured to take either Stanford's Andrew Luck or Baylor's Robert Griffin III with the first overall pick in April's upcoming draft. It's a decision the Colts faced with Manning and Ryan leaf in '98.

That time Indianapolis chose right with Manning being arguably the greatest quarterback in NFL history, while Leaf threw more interceptions (36) than games played (25).

Instead of writing chapter three in the Joe Montana, Steve Young, Favre and Aaron Rodgers saga, Irsay opted for youth.

This is just one of the many moves and changes the 52-year-old owner decided to make this offseason. He has fired Caldwell, vice chairman Bill Polian, general manager Chris Polian and now is apparently ready to release the franchise's greatest player all within two months, living by his words "the horseshoe always comes first".

Free agency begins March 13, but if and when Manning is released he can sign with a team immediately, reminding us this is a business and everyone, including Manning, is expendable.