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Well, that was quick. The Peyton Manning to the New York Jets rumor cycle didn’t last very long. As soon as the Jets fired Mike Maccagnan after losing a power struggle with Adam Gase, Manning’s name started to pop up.
Manning had a connection to Gase, and the Jets were searching for a new general manager, so a lot of people connected the dots. Jets owner Christopher Johnson has said he wants a “great strategic thinker” as the Jets’ next GM. Unfortunately for him, it sounds like that thinker won’t be Manning.
“Manning as the next Jets GM is ‘unrealistic’ and being an NFL GM is ‘not a job he seems to want.'” a source close to the former Colts and Broncos quarterback told Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.
It’s only been a few years since Manning retired after the 2015 season where he won another Super Bowl in Denver, but he’s already been connected to a bunch of jobs. He’s frequently mentioned in connection with football operations jobs, but Vacchiano’s report makes it sound like he isn’t interested in being at the mercy of an owner.
He was also rumored to be in consideration for a broadcasting job with ESPN for Monday Night Football, but he passed on that as well. Manning made a fortune during his playing days, both from his NFL contracts and lucrative endorsements on the side, so it makes sense why he’s not rushing into any new gig.
Now the Jets will have to move in a different direction in their search. Gase was Manning’s offensive coordinator during his time in Denver, and he’s clearly looking for someone he trusts and that he’s worked with in the past. Gase will essentially be handpicking his new GM, and it’ll be very interesting to see who he chooses.