Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning made his first public statements of the 2009 organized team activities session Tuesday, and the major theme was change.
He talked about the absence of Colts WR Marvin Harrison, and the transition to Head Coach Jim Caldwell, but he spent a lot of his time discussing the ongoing situation around former offensive coordinator Tom Moore and offensive line coach Howard Mudd, a situation that has yet to be clearly defined.
It’s the undefined part that Manning said doesn’t much like.
“I think we’re still in the middle of them, seeing how they’re going to play out,” Manning said Tuesday morning.
Moore and Mudd each retired earlier this month, and Colts Owner and Chief Executive Officer Jim Irsay has said since the plan is to bring them back as consultants.
“I really can’t tell you,” Manning said. “I can’t tell you what’s going on. I will say I don’t think it’s been the most properly communicated scenario around here. But we have learned to deal with change and be prepared to adjust. It’s still somewhat of an open book the last I’ve heard about it. If they come back as consultants – status quo – it’s really hard for me to answer.”
Manning specifically discussed the whole “consultant” concept.
“I really don’t know what the word consultant means and I don’t know if anybody does,” he said. “I know Tom Moore always told me that he talked to other teams that had consultants, he thought that was kind of a scary word. He thought all a consultant ever did was came in and second-guessed every play call you made. However that plays out, I’m not ready to give you my closing remarks on Tom
and Howard. Tom and I did have a meeting three weeks ago and it was somewhat of an emotional meeting. It was 7 a.m. We were saying goodbye not knowing if it was official or not. We took some time to share some personal thoughts. It’s hard to do it in an hour meeting after 11 years of being together. A lot of meetings and a lot of private conversations.
“I always thought some of the neatest times with Tom were at a timeout when (former Colts Head) Coach (Tony) Dungy would be out there, coach Moore, maybe (backup) Jim Sorgi would be. All of a sudden they would break away and it’s that last little thing that Tom tells me. It’s that one little moment there. And
Howard and I are the same way. We’ll see how that plays out.”
Manning continued later:
I wouldn’t say I totally like the way it is right now. It’s not normal not having a full coaching staff. . . . It’s not a situation that I’m just thrilled about. I think the communication has been pretty poor in my opinion. But that’s what we’re dealing with. The hard work is what’s going on right now. That’s what will carry us through. Lack of communication – not knowing – I really don’t know anymore than what you know. Somebody says one thing, then somebody else says another thing. I’m not sure everybody’s on the same page in this building. I’m just trying to focus on playing quarterback
Okay P, we’re all frustrated by this and I’m sure no more than you. It’s a fluid situation and one that is being dealt with. But let’s try to keep in-house, behind closed doors and out of the press. Now it’s a national story that you’re upset and will be broadcast all over.
Keep your head down, control what you can control, and trust in the owner and GM to work out a solution. They have your best interests at heart, I’m pretty sure of that.
Now work on getting that O back to the best in the league!!
Unbelievable. I guess we should not feel so slighted, if not even Peyton can get straight answers out of the Colts. Obviously, there are matters with the league that haven’t been worked out or clarified, but you would think the Colts would keep their franchise QB in the loop on what their hopes are.
When a QB is as involved in the playcalling as is Manning you would think he would be deeply involved. Sometimes, the Colts take the “tight-lips” thing way too far. When it extends to Manning to the point that he, uncharacteristically, mentions it to the press then it is one of those times.
Yeah, I’m with Peyton on this one. He’s more of an on-the-field-coordinator than any other QB in this league. Since this affects him more than anyone else in the Colts organization, you’d think they’d keep him in the loop. I’m sure that Irsay and Polian aren’t even entirely sure how things will be, but just tell that to Peyton so he can go back to concentrating on working waaaaaay too hard!
If Polian and Irsay aren’t sure what is going on then it is their jobs to FIND OUT! Or to solve the situation by simply letting go of Moore and Mudd and replacing them with the two guys who have been groomed and prepared to take the jobs in the first place. It was going to happen next year anyway – so just do it, get it over with, get it solved and concentrate on the season.
This distraction isn’t worth it and Polian and Irsay need to figure that out quickly. And Manning just sent them that message loud and clear. They need to listen to him.