“Peyton Manning, Jim Irsay and the entire Colts family remain close and unified as we continue to work through all the options that relate to his future with the Colts,’’ the owner said in a statement that included a color photo from Irsay’s party that was taking place at about the same time as the controversy erupted.
The photo shows Manning, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, Irsay, former Indiana Senator Evan Bayh, actress Meg Ryan, and singer John Mellencamp.
Manning’s agent, Tom Condon, told the NFL Network that the four-time league MVP would play in 2012, despite missing last season after having his third neck surgery in 19 months.
Manning turns 36 in March and Indianapolis must decide whether to pay him a $28 million roster bonus on March 8 or let him become a free agent.
Complicating matters is that the Colts hold the No. 1 overall draft pick and could select either Stanford’s Andrew Luck or Baylor’s Robert Griffin III as Manning’s successor.
Awards season
The NFL will announce the winners of the AP awards for Most Valuable Player, Offensive and Defensive Players and Rookies of the Year, Coach of the Year, and over a dozen more awards tonight at 9 during the “NFL Honors Ceremony.’’ It is the first time the winners will be announced in such a format . . . The Raiders hired Steve Hoffman as special teams coordinator, the same position he held with the Chiefs the past three years . . . Former Cowboys and Colts offensive lineman Kurt Vollers was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to a federal charge of conspiracy to distribute marijuana.
