You ready for some more Manning time in Denver?
It might be back.
No, no, no – not Peyton. He’s retired (at least as a quarterback) and will be for the rest of his life.
We’re talking baby bro.
That’s right, Eli Manning could be the next quarterback of the Denver Broncos. ESPN’s Adam Schefter hinted at it Wednesday night on “SportsCenter.”
If you live under a rock and missed the sports news of the day Tuesday, the Giants inexplicably benched Manning for Geno Smith, effectively ending Eli’s tenure in New York. Geno Freakin’ Smith.
It’s clear what New York is doing. They’re tanking. And tanking hard. Frankly, the Broncos should be doing the same thing, but the Broncos can get away with benching any of their unproven quarterbacks. Eli won two Super Bowls for New York and they kicked him to the curb. It’s embarrassing how the Giants are handling this, but then again, it’s the Giants.
And while the Schefter report was curious, this was jarring.
https://twitter.com/Andy_Benoit/status/935654168861085696
That’s not just from some “local blogger,” either.
Benoit works at The MMQB – which is run by the well-respected Peter King. Point is, Benoit isn’t just making this up for attention – he had to hear something from a legitimate source to tweet that.
Which brings us to this question: Would Eli feel comfortable playing here?
It’s a tricky one to answer, but if Benoit is to be believed, the answer is “Yes.”
Eli’s played in a big, tough market his entire career. So it’s not like he couldn’t handle the pressure. But does the younger Manning really want to play in his brother’s shadow? One that he hasn’t been able to escape his entire life?
Right now, Peyton might be a more popular figure in Denver than John Elway. In the “What have you done for me lately?” rankings, Peyton trumps John.
No. 18 won a Super Bowl in his final career game just 21 months ago. No. 7 has watched his team implode, called them “soft” and only taken responsibility that he’s part of the problem after intense pressure from players and fans.
So, what’s the incentive for Eli to play here? Unless he wins a Super Bowl, he’ll never be his brother. At least not to Broncos fans. But maybe Eli welcomes that challenge, wanting to win ring No. 3 in the ultimate “Anything you can do, I can do better” move to his more famous brother.
There’s also the giant elephant in the room: How is the relationship between Elway and Peyton?
Let’s not forget, the Broncos GM, in an unprecedented move, asked Peyton to take a pay cut after the 2014 season. Manning’s play had fallen off, but that’s not exactly something you do to Peyton Manning — unless of course you’re John Elway.
Did Peyton and Elway finish on good terms? Or was there still an awkward tension in the air when he hung it up after Super Bowl 50?
The answer to that question will reveal itself if Eli is Denver’s quarterback to start the 2018 season. If he gets an endorsement from Peyton, book him the next jet out here for golf at Cherry Hills Country Club. If his older brother tells him to stay away, you can bet Eli ends up in Jacksonville with his old friend Tom Coughlin.
The final piece of the puzzle is just what the Broncos will look like next year. If they land Eli, Elway must find a new head coach and keep this defense together. The talent is still there, but the motivation and respect for their leader might not be. Tough decisions will have to be made on guys like Aqib Talib (just $1 million in dead money if cut), but if Eli comes to Denver you have to keep him.
It’d be crazy if another Manning wins another Super Bowl as Broncos QB, but based on Tuesday’s news, it feels like a possibility.
You ready to see a Manning under center in Denver again?
It might be back.