There continues to be persistent chatter in NFL personnel circles that Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning could be joining his former general manager, Bill Polian, in the front office of the Tennessee Titans in 2016. The Titans have an opening at team president, with the contract of interim president Steve Underwood expiring, and ownership's interest in having Manning on board is well known around the league, though Manning's future plans remain unclear.
The driven quarterback is focused on playing football again this season, if possible, though he could find himself the backup to Brock Osweiler in Denver even when healthy. His interest in one day running or owning a team is also widely known. Manning may want to play beyond this season -- though at this point finding guaranteed starting options at anything close to the salary he's become accustomed to may be impossible -- and will remain coy about his plans. But he has strong ties to Tennessee and heavily considered signing with the Titans during his only stint as a free agent.
He remains close with Polian, and some within the Titans organization believe a combination as Manning as a football czar (with the option to own a piece of the team even if it is sold in the next year as many around the league expect), with Bill Polian as team president, his son, Chris, as general manager and Jacksonville assistant Doug Marrone or Bears offensive coordinator Adam Gase as coach is very probable for 2016.
Polian came very close to taking a football czar position with the Bills last year and would have retained Marrone as Bills coach if he did, and Manning is close to Gase from his time as Denver's offensive coordinator. Manning and Polian both left Indianapolis under less-than-ideal conditions, and the opportunity to go head-to-head with Colts owner Jim Irsay twice a year might also appeal to them. The competitive streak of both men is considered legendary by their peers. Manning's father, Archie, recently told a New Orleans television station even he is unsure what his son will do in 2016.
"Peyton's got plenty of sense, so when everything's done at the end of the year he'll sit down and make a decision," Archie Manning told WDSU. "Whatever he does, Peyton will attack it. If he steps down, he'll find something else and go after it. If he wants to play some more, he'll go after it."
The Titans are essentially a blank slate after firing head coach Ken Whisenhunt early in the season, and the Adams family is desperate to make the team more relevant and interesting within the local market. They could also be seeking ways to bolster the franchise ahead of a potential sale. Clearing the deck early makes sense, as Manning -- or any new president/GM -- would not have to begin his tenure with a flurry of firings. Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, who is likely to make sweeping changes throughout his organization yet again, is also interested in bringing Manning on board in an executive capacity if the opportunity presents itself, league sources said, and the quarterback will have plenty of ownership/front office interest if he does indeed hang up the spikes in a few weeks.
