It's pretty clear that Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll wanted quarterback Peyton Manning to come to Washington to play football during the 2012 free agency, and he went to great lengths to try to make it happen.
After Manning was cut by the Indianapolis Colts, Manning was heavily recruited by the Denver Broncos, Tennessee Titans, and San Francisco 49ers. At the time those three teams were well known for wanting Manning, but the Seahawks weren't talked about a lot.
According to Peter King of NBC Sports, who appeared on SI.com's “The Record” podcast, Carroll wanted to meet with Manning, but Manning had no interest. Even though Manning said no, Carroll still flew out to a small airport by Denver to try and get the meeting:
“Manning didn’t go meet Pete Carroll,” King said on “The Record.” “Pete Carroll flew to Denver chasing Peyton Manning and Manning never met with him. He got back on the plane and just flew back to Seattle. It was really kind of a crazy time.”
Manning was put off with the steps that Carroll tried to go to get him in Seattle:
“[Manning] almost put off by the fact that you spent all this time and energy and fuel and whatever to come down here when I told you, ‘It's not going to happen. I'm not doing it,’” King said.
If Manning would have selected to sign with the Seahawks, how much would it have changed NFL history? Would the Seahawks still have used a third-round pick in that draft to bring in Russell Wilson?
Instead, maybe Wilson would have been a member of the Denver Broncos.
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