Peyton Manning

Colts Owner Jim Irsay Pursued Jon Gruden For Head Coaching Gig

January 14th, 2017 at 10:15am CST by Ben Levine

It looks like the whispers were actually rooted in reality. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that Colts owner Jim Irsay pursued Jon Gruden for their head coaching job. The former NFL coach and current commentator “resisted overtures” from the organization and will be remaining with ESPN.

For what it’s worth, Gruden denied having any discussions with the Colts.

“I know nothing,” he told Schefter (Twitter link). “I’ve told people, I’m not coaching. I’m a broadcaster, I’m not a coach.”

Despite a report from earlier this week that the Colts were planning on retaining head coach Chuck Pagano and general manager Ryan Grigson, rumors still persisted that the organization was eyeing some major changes. Longtime Indianapolis sports writer Bob Kravitz wrote that the organization was hoping to pair Gruden with former quarterback Peyton Manning, who would slide into a front office role. Kravitz was adamant that these were just rumors, noting that no moves were imminent. However, he also noted his belief that the organization did indeed reach out to both Gruden and Manning.

Pagano has an impressive 49-31 record during his five seasons in Indianapolis. The team finished 11-5 during each of Pagano’s first three seasons, but the squad hasn’t managed to finish above .500 since then. The team’s two-season playoff drought is the longest since the late 1990s. The team hasn’t made the Super Bowl since 2009, and Schefter tweets that the team’s pursuit of Gruden is an indication that Irsay will do whatever it takes to return the team to the promised land.

Gruden compiled a 95-81 record during his 11 seasons as an NFL head coach. Gruden helped return the Raiders to relevancy in the early 2000s, and he subsequently led the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl championship in 2002. The 53-year-old lasted seven seasons in Tampa Bay before being fired following the 2009 campaign. Since then, Gruden has served in a variety of roles for ESPN, including color commentator for their Monday Night Football broadcasts.

Despite a report from last year that he might have interest in coaching quarterback Andrew Luck and the Colts, Gruden has continually said that he has no interest in returning to the NFL.

“I’ve said it a million times. I’m very happy with what I’m doing. I have no intention of coaching,” Gruden said in an interview with ESPN Radio’s Mike & Mike back in December.

Of course, that hasn’t stopped teams from pursuing the former coach. The Rams were said to have had interest in the coach, and reports from last offseason indicated that Gruden had interest in the Eagles head coaching vacancy.

Titans Ownership May Face More Discipline

September 18th, 2016 at 2:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

Long the target of NFL scrutiny due to an insufficient succession plan after Bud Adams’ death, the Titans have incurred punishment from the league this offseason and could be set for more NFL discipline.

The NFL already hit owner Amy Adams Strunk with a six-figure fine this year, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reports, and the franchise remains non-compliant regarding its ownership.

Adams Strunk maintains she will not sell the team, although that is not the universal feeling among Bud Adams’ heirs, but the Titans have not offered a satisfactory plan to satisfy the league. No additional fines are on the table as of now, per La Canfora, but the league continues to monitor this situation and would impose more financial penalties in the future if necessary since this doesn’t appear to be letting up anytime soon.

The Titans could well end up back on the market, per La Canfora, with Jon Bon Jovi residing as a “keenly interested” suitor after a failed bid to buy the Bills. Additionally, Peyton Manning may view the Titans as the one team he would consider owning a portion of and concurrently serve in a presidential-type role, La Canfora reports.

After playing at Tennessee, Manning has long been connected with the Titans — as both a player and a potential executive. The recently retired quarterback revealed the team was his second choice when he decided to sign with the Broncos in 2012.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Peyton Manning Not An Option For Vikings

August 30th, 2016 at 8:38pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Peyton Manning has no interest in coming out of retirement to play for the Vikings, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Presumably, Manning wouldn’t re-enter the league to quarterback any club given that he left the NFL on top, but Minnesota is in especially dire straits after Teddy Bridgewater tore his ACL and suffered knee damage earlier today.

While Manning isn’t an option for the Vikings, Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (Twitter link) throws out Colts backup quarterback Scott Tolzien as a potential trade target for Minnesota given that offensive coordinator Norv Turner was (at one point) a fan of Tolzien. Turner has never coached Tolzien, so it’s possible that the veteran play-caller liked Tolzien’s college tape. However, a trade is unlikely at this point, per Marvez.

As it currently stands, the Vikings have veteran Shaun Hill on the depth chart. Hill offers experience, but he is an uninspiring starting option for a team with playoff aspirations. He also has never started more than 10 games in any given season. Other than Hill, the Vikings have Wisconsin product Joel Stave on the depth chart. Fellow signal-caller Taylor Heinicke has been placed on the NFI list with an injury.

A cursory glance at our list of NFL free agents shows that veteran options such as Matt Flynn, Michael Vick, and Charlie Whitehurst are available, as is former Viking Tarvaris Jackson. T.J. Yates, meanwhile, was recently cleared to return to action after recovering from a torn ACL.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NFL: No Evidence Of Peyton Manning PED Use

July 25th, 2016 at 10:00am CST by Zachary Links

After a seven-month investigation, the NFL determined that Peyton Manning did not use HGH nor any other performance enhancing drug. Manning, of course, was named in a documentary about PEDs by Al Jazeera America late last year. The NFL released the following statement on Monday morning:

“Following a comprehensive seven-month investigation into allegations made in a documentary by Al Jazeera America, the NFL found no credible evidence that Peyton Manning was provided with or used HGH or other substances prohibited by the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances, it was announced today. The Mannings were fully cooperative with the investigation and provided both interviews and access to all records sought by the investigators.

Initiated in January, the investigation was led by the NFL’s security and legal teams with support from expert consultants and other professionals. The investigation involved witness interviews, a review of relevant records and other materials, online research, and laboratory analysis and review.

Separately, the NFL’s investigation continues into the documentary’s allegations made against other NFL players, which involve different lines of inquiry and witnesses”

Shortly after the documentary aired in December 2015, Manning went on the offensive and pronounced to the world that he would sue Al Jazeera for defamation. Months later, however, Manning backtracked from plans to bring legal action. Manning’s lawsuit flip-flop raised eyebrows in the football world, which may have motivated him to cooperate with the NFL’s investigation.

Manning retired from the NFL following his Super Bowl 50 win, leaving the sport as a two-time champion and a shoe-in Hall of Famer. No. 18 left the game as the league’s all-time leader in total wins by a QB (200), passing yards (71,940), and passing touchdowns (539) and also left the sport as the highest-paid player in league history. Over his career, Manning netted roughly a quarter-billion dollars, and that’s before considering his sponsorship deals.

Manning evened the score with brother Eli Manning when he secured his second Super Bowl ring, but the elder Manning had a tumultuous year to say the least. Peyton struggled to open the season but many didn’t notice as the Broncos came out of the gate 7-0 thanks to their defense. Soon after that, however, Manning’s decline became quite apparent to all observers. The Broncos eventually installed Brock Osweiler as their starting QB and it wasn’t until Week 17 when they put the Sheriff back in the starting role.

While the league’s investigation into Manning is now closed, today’s press release makes it clear that the NFL will continue to look into the allegations raised against Julius Peppers, Clay Matthews, James Harrison, and Mike Neal.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Latest On NFL’s PED Investigation

June 30th, 2016 at 6:52pm CST by Zachary Links

THURSDAY, 6:52pm: The NFL fired back at the NFLPA on Thursday, noting that sufficient grounds for an investigation are indeed present and the union’s stance is “fundamentally at odds with the CBA,” NFL senior vice president of labor affairs Adolpho Birch said in a letter to the union obtained by USA Today.

“While we readily agree that such evidence is required to support the imposition of discipline, nothing in the CBA or the policy imposes such a requirement before possible violations of the policy may be investigated,” Birch wrote. “Obviously, the standard that you advocate — that the league cannot undertake an investigation unless and until it has established the facts and claims to be investigated — would simply ensure that there would be no investigations at all.”

Birch’s letter also mentioned the active players summoned in this investigation have an obligation to comply or face possible league-imposed discipline. The letter did not contain anything pertaining to Manning, who is retired and not currently represented by the NFLPA.

WEDNESDAY, 10:48am: Tuesday, the NFLPA sent the NFL formal letters on behalf of four players named in Al Jazeera’s December documentary. In the letter, the union demanded that the league produce “sufficient credible evidence” before prying into the business of James Harrison, Clay Matthews, Mike Neal, and Julius Peppers.

“Especially in a business where the mere mention of a player-employee’s name can generate ratings for a broadcaster, the NFLPA and Mr. Harrison do not believe that unsupported, unsubstantiated verbal remarks provide ‘sufficient credible evidence’ to initiate an investigation of, and require an interview with, an employee,” the union wrote in a letter defending Harrison (Twitter link via Albert Breer of The MMQB).

Without “sufficient credible evidence,” the NFL is not permitted to punish players for suspected use of performance enhancing substances, per the terms of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement. The NFLPA’s letter cites this section of the CBA and argues that the since-recanted recordings Charles Sly do not meet the qualifications:

“Sufficient credible evidence includes but is not limited to: criminal convictions or plea arrangements; admissions, declarations, affidavits, authenticated witness statements, corroborated law enforcement reports or testimony in legal proceedings; authenticated banking, telephone, medical or pharmacy records; or credible information obtained from Players who provide assistance pursuant to Section 10 of the Policy.”

In addition to Harrison, Matthews, Neal, and Peppers, the NFLPA was inclined to tell Peyton Manning not to participate in the league’s investigation, because it feels the NFL lacks jurisdiction in that area, Breer tweets. Still, Manning may participate anyway, because of the possibility that he may wish to become a front office executive (Twitter link). Because he is retired, he is being handled separately and he cannot truly be forced to act one way or another by either the league office or the union.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NFL To Interview Peyton Manning

June 27th, 2016 at 1:08pm CST by Zachary Links

Late last week, the NFL made plans to interview most of the players implicated in the infamous Al Jazeera America documentary on performance enhancing drugs. That list of interviewees included currently players like Packers linebackers Julius Peppers and Clay Matthews and Steelers linebacker James Harrison as well as free agent Mike Neal. Peyton Manning was the biggest of the big names to be mentioned in the documentary, but he was not on the docket since he is no longer an active player. However, that has now changed. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy tells Mike Florio of PFT that the league office will meet with Manning.

While all of the other players will be interviewed roughly around the start of training camp, the exact date of Manning’s interview with the NFL is not yet known. The league still does not have the authority to force Manning into an interview, but his desire to work in an NFL front office has likely compelled him to cooperate. On top of that, as Florio notes, Manning would be in an awkward position if the accusations regarding Peppers & Co. were found to have merit while he did not consent to an interview.

Shortly after the documentary aired in December 2015, Manning went on the offensive and pronounced to the world that he would sue Al Jazeera for defamation. Months later, however, Manning backtracked from plans to bring legal action. If Manning’s lawsuit flip-flop raised eyebrows in the football world, he may have an opportunity now to silence critics by cooperating with the NFL’s investigation.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AFC Notes: Wilkerson, Jets, Raiders, Titans

June 25th, 2016 at 10:34am CST by Ben Levine

Peyton Manning will surely be enjoying his first year of retirement, but the future Hall of Famer told reporters that he’ll still be keeping an eye on the 2016 campaign. Specifically, Manning will be watching his brother, his former teams, and a former teammate.

“I kinda look forward to this year being a fan of a lot of teams, people that I have connections with,” Manning told reporters Friday (via Conor Orr of NFL.com). “I’ll be pulling for Brock. Of course, I’m going to be a huge New York Giants fan, but I’ll be pulling for the Broncos and the Colts. I’ll be pulling for Adam Gase and Jim Caldwell, the head coach of the Lions. Coaches and players I’ve played with and competed with. Being a free agent, if you will, this year, to be able to pull for a lot of teams.

“I’ll be pulling hard for Brock (Osweiler), I know he’s going to have a great year.”

Let’s take a look at some more notes from around the AFC…

ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini reviews some of the largest contracts handed out to defenders in recent years, and he concludes that teams rarely get “that bang for the buck” that they’re seeking. Ultimately, while the Jets may not be concerned about a potential drop in Muhammad Wilkerson‘s production, Cimini believes the team could be looking to avoid that “buyer-beware element.”
With Geno Smith‘s contract expiring at the end of the season, Brian Costello of the New York Post wonders if we’ll see the best out of the Jets quarterback in 2016.
Raiders defender Aldon Smith will be arraigned for violating his probation, reports CSNBayArea.com. The 26-year-old was already on probation in August of 2015, when he was charged with DUI, hit and run and vandalism. According to the website, these charges proved to be in violation of that previous probation.
One of the Titans “big questions” heading into the preseason will be which wideouts will ultimately make the squad, writes Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com. The writer mentions Kendall Wright, Rishard Matthews, Dorial Green-Beckham and Tajae Sharpe as locks to make the roster, and the writer could envision the team keeping an additional three receivers on the final squad.

NFL To Interview Players Named In PED Doc

June 24th, 2016 at 2:40pm CST by Zachary Links

2:41pm: The players in question are and have been willing to submit to interviews, but things have been delayed due to the bureaucratic differences between the two sides on the scope of the interviews and other factors relevant to the process, a source tells Mike Florio of PFT. The NFLPA is concerned about the precedent that these interviews could set, given the credibility issues that have been raised about the documentary. Going forward, the union is concerned that something as arbitrary as accusations of drug use via social media could lead to league examination, which is the type of thing the NFLPA does not want to invite.

12:09pm: The NFL has informed the NFLPA that league officials will show up on the first day of training camp to interview three players named in the Al-Jazeera America documentary linking them to performance enhancing drugs, according to USA Today’s Tom Pelissero.

Packers linebackers Julius Peppers and Clay Matthews and Steelers linebacker James Harrison are all scheduled for interviews the day camps open. For Peppers and Matthews, that means interviews on July 26th. The Steelers, meanwhile, open camp on July 29th. Former Packers linebacker Mike Neal is currently without a team, but he’ll be interviewed on or before July 22nd, per the letter.

Conspicuously absent from the notice, however, is any mention of former Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning. However, a source tells Pelissero that the investigation into Manning’s involvement is ongoing.

Since Manning is no longer an active player, he cannot be forced to speak to the league about the accusations though, by the same token, he is free to discuss anything he wants with the league without being hindered by the NFLPA. However, Manning is reportedly hoping to hold a front office position at some point, and that could motivate him to discuss things with the NFL.

Neal, meanwhile, still wants to play football and he believes that the documentary has “heavily, heavily, heavily, heavily, heavily” influenced his extended free agency.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NFL, NFLPA Clashing Over PED Investigation

June 20th, 2016 at 10:15am CST by Zachary Links

Late last year, the NFL was rocked by an Al Jazeera documentary in which several superstars were ID’d as potential performance enhancing drug users. Months later, we have little in the way of any additional word on the allegations. In a column today for The MMQB, Emily Kaplan writes that bureaucratic tension between the NFL and the NFLPA could be holding things up.

In the documentary, Indiana-based Charles Sly was secretly recorded as he blabbed about supplying Peyton Manning, James Harrison, Clay Matthews, Mike Neal, Julius Peppers, and others with PEDs. On the cusp of the six month anniversary of the bombshell, however, the league has yet to interview one current player who was named in the report, Kaplan hears. The league has conducted interviews “in relation” to the documentary, but the NFL is champing at the bit to talk directly with the players named.

“We have pushed to do them sooner,” NFL spokesman Joe Lockhart said of player interviews. “[The union has] articulated some reasons why they can’t be done right away.”

Lockhart went on to say that the league office is aiming to complete the interviews before training camp begins, but he said that the interviews will be conducted during camp, if necessary.

Since Manning is no longer an active player, he cannot be forced to speak to the league about the accusations though, by the same token, he is free to discuss anything he wants with the league without being hindered by the union. However, Manning is reportedly hoping to hold a front office position at some point, and that could motivate him to discuss things with the NFL.

Neal, meanwhile, still wants to play football and he believes that the documentary has “heavily, heavily, heavily, heavily, heavily” influenced his extended free agency.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Breer On Cowboys, Hardy, Jordan, Manning

June 17th, 2016 at 4:40pm CST by Zachary Links

Last year, the Cowboys added Greg Hardy on a one-year, incentive laden deal. That bold move gave Dallas one of the most feared defensive linemen in the NFL, but also gave them one of the league’s biggest headaches and PR nightmares. Still, after dealing with Hardy’s down year and bad attitude, Jerry Jones says that he isn’t necessarily changing his approach going forward.

“We’ve taken risks,” Jones told The MMQB’s Albert Breer. “It was a huge risk to take (Charles) Haley back (in the ’90s). Haley was a cancer on the Niners, and that’s why they gave him to us for next to nothing. Dez (Bryant) was a risk. Dez was a Top 5 pick that fell because he was a risk. And in the end, you win on some, you lose on some. That’s a little piece of how you succeed in business. You have to take chances.”

The Cowboys, of course, have publicly ruled out a Hardy reunion. Despite all of his baggage, PFR’s Dallas Robinson ranked Hardy as one of the best defensive free agents to remain on the board at this juncture of the offseason. There has been very little talk about Hardy lately, but we recently ran down some teams that could at least consider signing the defensive end.

Here’s more from Breer’s column:

Defensive end Dion Jordan insists that he’s drug-free as he looks to return to the Dolphins, but people who were around him over his first two years tell Breer that they’d first be looking to see what condition his shoulder is in. Prior to being taken No. 3 overall in the 2013 draft, Jordan’s shoulder was flagged, so it has been an issue for some time. If things work out well, however, Breer feels that Jordan could be a big part of the team’s future on the defensive line. Cameron Wake is 34 and Mario Williams is 31, so the team will need a youth injection in the coming years.
Word has it that Peyton Manning will wind up in a John Elway-type executive role at some point in the next few years. Because Manning is hoping to work in someone’s front office, Breer hears that he could be more willing to help the NFL’s investigation into the allegations levied against him in the Al Jazeera report last December. Manning said that he would sue Al Jazeera for what he deemed to be false claims against him, but he recently decided against taking action.
Breer believes that Von Miller and Eric Berry will wind up getting multi-year deals done with their respective teams. Unsurprisingly, he does not see a deal happening for Jets defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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