Reports Say Colts Will Announce Manning’s Departure on Wednesday

The moment all Colts fans like myself expected and tried our best to prepare for while still holding a sliver of hope that things would work out seems to be happening Wednesday.

ESPN is reporting Manning and team owner Jim Irsay will attend a joint announcement making it official at some point tomorrow. This will open the door for presumed first round pick, Andrew Luck to take over as QB for the 2012 season.

The move highlights the sometimes tough, business side of football. As much as Manning meant to not only the team, but the city of Indianapolis will, in my opinion, never been replaced. However, to pay him a $28 million dollar roster bonus while there's still a level of uncertainty as to whether he'll return to form in time for next season, if ever, would have been a disastrous move for the team. Paying him that kind of cash would have crippled them when it came to paying other players on the roster and acquiring free agents.

We knew it had to come to an end at some time even though I would have preferred it not be this way. When one player does so much for a team and its fans, you prefer they leave on their own terms through retirement, but fate had other plans for #18.

An even tougher pill to swallow will be if Peyton is able to play this year, seeing him do it in another uniform. But I encourage all Colts fans to remember what Manning did during his tenure in Indy and wish him the best as moves on to finish his already stellar career elsewhere.