"Peyton Manning nears decision on his next team"

From Los Angeles Times

Review by Michael Smith in KIN 435 (section 2)

Almost all football fans know that the NFL opens up the free agencies today March 13th, 2012. However many people are speculating over Peyton Manning’s free agency. Right now Manning has the headline of the “hot topic” within the NFL. Many players have been released due to an expired contract or teams no longer have the interest or money to sign them. In Peyton Manning’s case, both problems are present, but not for the reasons you might think. Peyton Manning was released by the Indianapolis Colts because they didn’t want nor could not pay him the $28 million dollar bonus he “deserved”.

When the Indianapolis Colts and owner Jim Irsay decided to part ways with quarterback Peyton Manning on March 7, 2012, Irsay insisted that the $28 million bonus and additional $7.4 million for Manning's 2012 salary he was due to receive on March 8 had no effect on the decision. Petyon Manning is 35-years-old and is a four-time MVP quarterback. Manning previously underwent surgery to surgically fuse his neck and is coming off a season where he didn't play a single game. While Peyton Manning's impact on the field is undeniable after witnessing the Colts' 2-14 record without him, his impact on the Indianapolis Colts ticket sales is equally amazing. Without Peyton Manning last season the Colts ticket sales dropped by 90% from the previous season and the average ticket price dropped by almost 60%. Peyton Manning's impact both on and off the field to the Colts' organization this past year is undeniable.

When Peyton Manning signed his last Colts contract on July 30, 2011, the contract was for 5 years and $90 million, an average of $18 million a year. While Jim Irsay, the Colts General Manager, wanted to make him the highest-paid player in NFL history, Manning chose to accept less money in order to free up the Colts front office to be able to sign other players. "Whether I deserve to be the highest-paid player over the next five years is irrelevant," Manning said. "I would rather them use that money and keep the players they want to keep and get other players".

Peyton Manning is gone now, and it remains to be seen what the economic impact his absence will have on Colts' ticket sales moving forward. The places that he might end up being a quarterback for the rest of his career are endless. Every team wants his ability, leadership and big name. The fight for Peyton is ongoing but many prospective teams are supposed to be nearing a decision by the end of this week.