Getty Peyton Manning speaks to the crowd during a Ring of Honor induction ceremony.
The Denver Broncos are moving closer to being sold, and already some well-known names have been mentioned as possible suitors for the franchise.
On September 13, FrontOfficeSports.com’s A.J. Perez reported that hip-hop mogul Jay-Z and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos were interested in purchasing the Broncos. A week later, Mike Klis of 9News Denver said that current President of Football Operations for the Broncos, John Elway, was also interested in buying the team.
However, another name with Broncos ties has emerged.
CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora reports that Peyton Manning, Pro Football Hall of Famer and former Broncos quarterback, is interested in being a part of a new ownership group and a management position with the Broncos, as well.
“[Manning] has already had discussions with several of the groups expected to be favorites to land the team,” La Canfora wrote. “And his strong ties to Denver, where his family has lived since his playing days, and universal respect throughout the football world, would be a boon to any potential ownership group aligned with him.”
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Manning Denied Initial Report Linking Him to Broncos
In September, La Canfora initially reported on Manning’s interest in ownership and a front-office role with the Broncos. Manning later refuted the report to ESPN’s Jeff Legwold.
“There’s some people who have called me and said, ‘Hey, what do you think is going to happen with the Broncos? Are you going to try and own them?’ I keep looking for that $3 billion in my pocket; I can’t find it; I think it’s in a hidden account somewhere. That’s really not on my radar,” Manning told Legwold.
While Manning isn’t worth $3 billion, in 2016, the Denver Post’s Mark Kiszla surmised how Manning could have a future in ownership and management of an NFL team.
“Manning’s net worth is estimated to be in excess of $150 million,” Kiszla wrote. “That’s not enough money to buy an NFL franchise by himself, although an ownership group that included Manning as president with a financial stake in the team would be led by a brilliant football mind.”
In early December, a report from Sportico.com’s Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams said the Broncos had begun interviewing bankers to facilitate a sale, meaning one could be on the horizon sooner rather than later. That news coupled with reports of Manning’s name and interest resurfacing only adds more intrigue to the situation.
Manning Has Stayed In Denver Since Retiring
After spending the first 13 years of his NFL career with the Indianapolis Colts, Manning signed with the Broncos as a free agent in 2012. Manning would spend the final four seasons of his career in Denver, including the 2015 season that saw the Broncos win Super Bowl 50.
Having already put together a hall of fame career with the Colts, Manning only added to his legacy in Denver.
Upon signing with the Broncos, Manning was coming off a neck injury and multiple surgeries, which forced him to miss the entire 2011 season. In 2013, Manning spoke with Sally Jenkins of the Washington Post about how the injury and recovery after surgery nearly prevented him from returning to play after 2011.
“I had a real peace,” Manning told Jenkins. “I don’t know if many people believe that, but I had a peace if this was not to be.”
Luckily for the Broncos, Manning returned to the field, finishing his career in Denver with a Super Bowl victory, two All-Pro nods, and three Pro Bowl selections.
Manning retired in 2016 after 18 seasons in the NFL, but he and his family have remained in Denver.
In August 2021, Manning told The Gazette’s George Stoia why he chose to play and stay in Denver long after hanging up his cleats.
“I have a great relationship with Indianapolis and still very involved there in the community, just like I am in Knoxville and New Orleans,” Manning told Stoia. “But you can only live in one place, and Denver’s just been a great place to live. Really couldn’t have made a better decision to go out there and play back in 2012.”