Will Peyton Manning follow Steve Hutchinson to Titans?
This could be a big clue as to which way Peyton Manning is leaning.
His buddy, former All-Pro guard Steve Hutchinson, rejected Seattle’s offer of a one-year deal to sign for three years with Tennessee. According to an NFL source, the decision was based partly on what many suspected -- Hutchinson wants to play with Manning, friends from many Pro Bowl appearances.
Titans owner Bud Adams has said he wants to offer Manning a “lifetime contract,” which would include a job with the franchise after the quarterback’s playing career is over. Considering Manning’s boundless potential in TV (and perhaps Hollywood), it’s hard to imagine any NFL job beyond a team owner that would be an improvement on what he has waiting for him.
It’s also reasonable to think Manning and Hutchinson have been in contact, so it’s not a reach to think the former Vikings guard was acting on some inside information.
Manning was a college star at Tennessee, and his wife is from that state, something that could make it even more challenging for the Broncos to lure him to Denver.
While he hasn’t formally dismissed Miami or Arizona (and maybe those teams are still in play), Manning seems to have narrowed his choices to Tennessee and Denver. There is no indication he has thrown for either team, so he’s done a remarkable job of playing one against the other in seeking the best offer.
It’s a little like he’s directing traffic before the snap, sending people this way and that, making last-second tweaks and adjustments. The Hutchinson signing might have been a telltale shift.
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