Peyton Manning joined the Broncos’ Ring of Honor on Sunday. Will he eventually join the team’s ownership?
Manning downplayed that possibility in comments made Sunday.
“I haven’t had any serious conversations with anyone,” Manning said, via Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com. (This implies that he has had one or more non-serious conversations.) “Certainly, there’s some people who have called me and said ‘Hey, what do you think is going to happen with the Broncos? Are you going to try to own the team? I keep looking for that $3 billion in my pocket, I can’t find it, I think it’s in a hidden account somewhere. That’s not really on my radar.”
Of course, there’s a difference between Manning being the primary owner and Manning being part of an ownership group. He doesn’t need $3 billion in his pocket or anywhere else to be a limited partner and, say, the president of the team.
“People are obviously interested, they’re curious,” Manning said. “I care because I live here and I go to the games, and I want to know what’s going to happen like everyone else. But I have no relationship or agreement with anybody. . . . Even if I’m offered an opportunity, I haven’t decided if I would even do it. I actually like what I’m doing now. I get to stay close to the game. . . . I get to coach [my son] Marshall’s flag football team, I went to a doubleheader softball game to see [my daughter] Mosley play. I’m just taking everything on a one year at a time basis, next year who knows how I’ll feel. . . . But I’ll always be a part of the Broncos, I’ll say that.”
Manning needs to be circumspect about his remarks, given that the team is not yet even up for sale. He’s smart enough to show respect for the Bowlen family, one or more members of which could end up owning the team, in theory. None of what he said today rules him out when it comes to owning part of the Broncos, and perhaps eventually running the team.
