Peyton Manning is not believed to be interested in the Indianapolis Colts’ general manager job, and the team has not approached him about taking it, ESPN reported Sunday.
ESPN’s sources said that the time commitment required to run an NFL front office would conflict with the Colts legend’s post-playing projects — Omaha Productions, the popular “Manningcast” with brother Eli as an alternative to ESPN/ABC’s “Monday Night Football” telecasts, and his work as commercial spokesman.
The Colts are looking for a new GM after firing Chris Ballard last week. Indianapolis began this season 2-4 after losing its final seven games in 2025. Ballard’s teams were 72-82-1 during the regular season and 1-2 in the playoffs. The club last made the postseason in 2020. It did not win an AFC South division championships during Ballard’s eight full seasons in charge.
Manning said in 2024 that he was not focused on becoming a GM, but ESPN’s sources noted that he is open to NFL opportunities, adding that they likely would need to be positions similar to the higher-level ones that former stars such as Tom Brady (Las Vegas Raiders part owner), Matt Ryan (Atlanta Falcons president of football operations) and Tony Boselli (Jacksonville Jaguars vice president of football operations) hold.
Manning played 13 seasons for the Colts after being drafted No. 1 overall by Indianapolis in 1998. The Pro Football Hall of Famer threw for 54,828 yards and 399 touchdowns with the club. He was the QB when the Colts won Super Bowl XLI over the Chicago Bears in the 2006 season.
After sitting out the 2011 season with shoulder and neck injuries, Manning was released by the Colts and signed with the Denver Broncos in 2012. He played four more seasons, retiring in 2015 after capturing a second Super Bowl ring that season, for Denver over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50.