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Indianapolis Colts: Peyton Manning Was Almost a Tennessee Titan

By Garrett Hagan

Mar 18, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts retired quarterback Peyton Manning speaks after he has his jersey is retired and a announcement is made that a statue will be built in his honor during in a press conference at Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 18, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts retired quarterback Peyton Manning speaks after he has his jersey is retired and a announcement is made that a statue will be built in his honor during in a press conference at Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Indianapolis Colts cut ties with quarterback Peyton Manning in March of 2012. The two-time Super Bowl champion revealed that he was ‘pretty close’ to choosing the Tennessee Titans before later signing with the Denver Broncos.

The Indianapolis Colts would have been thrilled with the idea of facing their former franchise quarterback twice a year. The idea of Manning playing within the same division as the Colts was closer to becoming a reality than most had originally thought.

According to The Tennessean, Manning had seriously considered the Titans as a legitimate landing spot to continue his career post-Indianapolis Colts.

In an interview with Tennessean sports editor Dave Ammenheuser last Thursday, the now-retired quarterback gave some insight into his consideration to become the Titans’ quarterback of the future.

“I was pretty close,” Manning said of his decision as to whether or not pick the Titans.

Manning played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers from 1994 through 1997 where he would go on to win numerous awards and honors before eventually being pick No. 1 overall by the Colts in the 1998 NFL Draft. He would soon become the team’s quarterback for 14 straight seasons.

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The Colts had released Manning from their roster shortly after the conclusion of the 2011 season — a season in which Manning had missed all 16 games due to a neck injury. The Colts would finish the season with a 2-14 record, solidifying their rights to the first-overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft.

The decision for the Colts to part ways with Manning wasn’t an easy pill to swallow for both the fans and the front-office, but Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck was a lock to be the first pick of the draft and the Colts were set on taking Luck to be Manning’s replacement.

Manning eventually signed a five-year, $96-million contract with the Denver Broncos during the 2012 NFL Free Agency period — mostly due to the fact that the Broncos had a more talented roster and arguably a brighter future.

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He would later go on to set numerous NFL records over the next four seasons in Denver — including a Super Bowl 50 victory to cap off his career.

Even now though, Colts fans and the NFL world ponder what things would be like today had Manning chosen to sign with the Titans.

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