Hours after Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay complained about quarterback Peytom Manning being a "politician" and airing the team's business, Manning responded Thursday with an apparent call for civility via the Indianapolis Star.
"At this point, Mr. Irsay and I owe it to each other and to the fans of the organization to handle this appropriately and professionally, and I think we will," Manning told the newspaper by phone. "I've already reached out to Mr. Irsay. I wasn't trying to paint the Colts in a bad light, but it's tough when so many people you've known for so long are suddenly leaving.
I feel very close to a lot of these guys and we've done great things together. It's hard to watch an old friend clean out his office. That's all I was trying to say. I just want to keep rehabbing and working hard, and when the time is right for Mr. Irsay and I to sit down, I look forward to a healthy conversation about my future. I've worked too hard and have such great respect and have so many great relationships inside the building and out, and it's incredibly important that those remain.
"Irsay's comments were made shortly after he introduced new head coach Chuck Pagano, suggesting a rift between Manning and Irsay, who's just six weeks away from a March 8 deadline to pay the four-time NFL MVP a $28 million bonus or risk losing him as a free agent.
