I was sitting in a Toyota dealership minding my own business today. The TV was on in the background when there was a breaking news bulletin. Usually breaking news bulletins are overwhelmingly negative. In this case, the Indianapolis Colts announced that they were releasing Peyton Manning from his contract. I will agree if you are a Colts fan, it wasn’t good news.
I watched the announcement in amazement. Peyton Manning and Jim Irsay made a joint statement and took questions from the press. They made sure that the press and the public knew that this had been in the works for a long time. They were discussing the health and viability of a team that they both love.
Peyton said ”We all know that nothing lasts forever. Times change, circumstances change, and that’s the reality of playing in the NFL. This has not been easy for Jim and this has certainly not been easy for me.”
This was a divorce handled with style and panache. They admitted that they had a joint goal .. the best interests of the Indianapolis Colts franchise, the members of the team, and Peyton Manning.
Regardless of the speculation, I congratulate Peyton and Jim for their obvious respect for each other. They have demonstrated to the world that with enough work and respect even a negative and be viewed as a positive.
The lesson from both men is that “you can put the organization ahead of self and come out ahead.” This is a joint win for both men and Colts fans.
Congratulations for being a class act.
