For those fans who thought this would be the year that Peyton Manning would end his successful NFL career and ride off into the sunset, that may not happen.
Talk of the Denver Broncos quarterback wanting to play at 40, instead of retiring after the season like many thought, began with a report from Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio while on NBC’s Football Night in America Sunday.
Florio cited a source who is said to have knowledge that Manning wants to play in 2016 and is even open to playing for a team other than his current one.
“I’m told he currently intends to play next year, even if it’s not for the Broncos,” Florio said.
He added that the source said Manning is “absolutely determined” to get himself back to being healthy to play for the remainder of this season and next season.
Tony Dungy, who was also on the set and coached the signal caller for several years in Indianapolis, said he too heard the rumblings that Manning has no plans to hang up his cleats at the end of the year.
Co-host Rodney Harrison didn’t hold back and voiced his thoughts on the situation, “He’s crazy. [He should] go spend time with his family. He couldn’t stay healthy last year. He can’t stay healthy this year.”
He added that Manning has "nothing left to prove."
Despite his age and lackluster play this year, if the quarterback did leave Denver there are teams that would take a chance on having one of the greatest run their offense, but for Manning’s legacy would it mirror Brett Favre’s, who stayed a couple seasons too long? Isn’t it better to leave a little early than stay a little too long? Hopefully Manning’s accomplishments and everything he has meant to the game won’t be tarnished if he's stays longer than expected.