March 4, 2015 – Peyton Manning returns, restructures contract
Peyton Manning had a look of frustration on his face after a divisional round loss to his old team (above). It seemed for some time that he might not even return, after struggling with injury in the second half of the the 2014 season, but Manning had unfinished business and it appeared he understood that his hefty contract might be limiting John Elway from surrounding him with the best possible talent. As a result, Manning and the Broncos agreed to a restructured deal that would put $4 million back in the bank for Denver in 2015. One curious aspect to the new deal was a no-trade clause, reportedly requested by Manning. It seemed unnecessary to most observers at the time, but it would prove to be an interesting footnote in future acts of the saga that would develop over the course of the next 10 months.