Peyton Manning has yet to decide if he’ll return to the Denver Broncos in 2015, but NFL.com's Ian Rapoport is reporting that team president John Elway could be making things difficult for the veteran quarterback in the process.
Some around the league believe Elway is making roster and personnel moves to force Peyton Manning’s hand on retirement.
“Talking to other general managers around the league, they wonder if Elway is engineering it so Peyton Manning doesn’t come back,” Rapoport said Sunday. “He took away his head coach and offensive coordinator. He’s going to bring in a head coach whose system doesn’t really fit. It’s worth wondering.”
Former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak is expected to be named the Broncos new head coach Monday or Tuesday. Some question whether Kubiak’s run-first style will turn Manning off.
“I am told that Manning is not surprised at the major changes that have happened after the Broncos season,” Rapoport added. “They knew that if they didn’t make the Super Bowl this was possible. After the Rams game, John Elway wondered if this team is tough enough or if this is actually as good as it gets.”
