Colts to Release Star QB Peyton Manning

Manning missed the entire 2011 season due to injury

Goodbye Peyton. The Indianapolis Colts will release Peyton Manning, their star quarterback and the longtime face of the franchise, on Wednesday, according to ESPN's Chris Mortensen.

The has been long speculated, but is a shock. Manning has played his entire career in Indianapolis after being selected first overall in the 1998 draft. He helped turn the team into a perrenial powerhouse, winning four MVP awards and the 2006 Super Bowl.

But he missed the entire 2011 season due to a neck injury, and the team would have had to pay him $28 million if he remained on the roster in late March. The Colts own the first pick in the NFL draft, and are expected to select Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck.

Manning will become an unrestricted free agent -- if he can prove he's healthy, he's sure to have plenty of suitors.

Contact Us