Peyton Manning Cleared to Play, How Much Does Eli's Ring Motivate Him?
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
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| Colts.com |
NFL Writer
After telling ESPN in an exclusive interview he plans on returning for the 2012 season and more recently being cleared by two doctors, Peyton Manning looks like he will be playing football next season.
What might be even more of a motivating factor for Manning to make a strong return is seeing little brother Eli Manning earn his second Super Bowl ring and MVP in a victory over the Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI. After consistently living in Peyton's shadow, in a sport where quarterbacks are judged based on Super Bowl victories, Eli pulled into the lead.
The brotherly competitiveness has to be a motivating factor to keep Peyton on the field, especially if he feels he still has the ability to get a team a championship. The only question is, with which team will Peyton be playing for in 2012.
Manning is due a $28 million roster bonus from Indianapolis on March 8 and can't be traded until March 13, meaning the Colts might cut the veteran quarterback to free up cap space and open the gate for Andrew Luck to step in right away.
That means Manning could end up as the next Joe Montana and finish his career out away from the team he spent his entire career with. But where?
Manning will want to go somewhere he can be a contender. Possibilities include the Jets, Dolphins, and Cardinals (if they can deal away Kevin Kolb.) Wherever he ends up, chasing his little brother should provide a lot of motivation.
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