Manning is QB to lead Broncos
Whether the next owner of the Broncos is Jeff Bezos or Brittany Bowlen, it won’t mean a thing unless the team finds the right quarterback to lead it out of the doldrums and back to relevancy in the Super Bowl conversation.
And, in this case, I’m not talking about Aaron Rodgers or Deshaun Watson.
While Watson can really spin the football, there’s no way the Broncos could spin acquiring him until ugly allegations of sexual misconduct are resolved. While there’s no doubt Rodgers would make for a great soap opera in Denver, it’s less certain if an aging prima donna would infuse the team with a championship mentality.
The quarterback your local NFL franchise needs now is Peyton Manning.
I don’t care if Bowlen or Bezos writes the checks. If Phil Anschutz or some other billionaire wants to sit a mile high and mighty in the owner’s box, that’s cool by me.
But the Broncos need Manning to oversee the football operation from the president’s chair.
It’s time for the team that Pat Bowlen built to stop the family feud in the court room and get back to winning on the field. With a lawsuit dismissed last week by Arapahoe County District Judge John E. Scipione, the infighting between the Bowlen heirs can end and serious restoration of the Broncos can begin. Who will own the team and what’s the plan to restore faded glory? That’s intrigue yet to unfold.
“I’m interested in what’s going to happen,” Manning said last week, during a video conference with reporters. “I haven’t said no to anything officially forever. I’ve just said no to some things each year. The next year, maybe things change. So, who knows what will happen in that?”
During all the recent bickering by the Bowlen kids about the future of their late father’s team, one of the few things this bitterly divided family can agree on is a deep admiration for Manning. While a ceasefire has been called in the legal battle among the Bowlens, Manning could be invaluable at giving everyone in Broncos Country peace of mind during this critical time of transition for a proud franchise.
So may I humbly suggest: General manager that George Paton can sweat the small stuff, while PFM concentrates on the big picture, infusing the organization with a relentless pursuit of excellence it has been missing since he retired as quarterback after Super Bowl 50.
“I’ve gone on a year-to-year basis in this second chapter,” Manning said. “I’m going to try to do this, this year. I don’t go past that because you try different things and maybe you like it, maybe you don’t. I will always be a part of the Broncos and Colts organizations in some way.”
With John Elway taking two steps away from the spotlight, our dusty old cow town is now Manningville. PFM is everywhere you look, whether he’s impersonating Elvis on ESPN or burying a fastball in the dirt with the ceremonial first pitch at the All-star Game.
At age 45, Manning is not the retiring type. He enjoys the big stage too much to be content sitting in the shadows. It’s in his competitive nature to produce and direct the show, as well as play a starring role.
To lure Manning back to the team’s Dove Valley headquarters on a fulltime basis, I suspect it would take more than a gig as coach or general manager. I
think he would make a heckuva primary owner of the Broncos. But with the franchise valued on the ritzy side of $3 billion, that’s more Papa John’s pizza dough than even Manning could muster.
But you would be hard pressed to find anyone with more football gravitas and proven leadership skills than Manning. He has the right stuff to restore the faith of Broncos fans frustrated by a sad five-year stretch during which the team has not only been bad, but boring to boot.
Manning is more than one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever throw a touchdown pass. He’s a Hall of Fame salesman capable of pitching free-agent players and season-ticket holders alike on the idea Denver can again be essential in the Super Bowl conversation.
Whether it’s Brittany, Bezos or a billionaire to be named later, the next owner of the Broncos would be wise to give Manning an equity stake in the franchise and let PFM shape the renaissance of a civic treasure.