Is Peyton Manning taking the Colts GM job? Not right now, according to ESPN. The reports don't line up. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Oct. 25 that the Colts have not approached Manning and he isn't expected to be interested, though Manning "would be willing to listen" to future NFL opportunities. Dan Patrick had said his source put Manning at the top of the Colts' list of preferred candidates, and that "if they haven't, they will reach out." Per Yahoo Sports (Oct. 26), Patrick's source has since said the sides "have talked" and "the interest is there," but "ultimately the timing is not right." Patrick said Oct. 26: "I didn't say (that Manning is) taking the job." On this episode of The Sports Hangover, released Oct. 19, Michael Benatar and J-Dawg (Jeremy Garrison) treat it as a rumor and argue over whether it could ever happen.
As of Oct. 28, 2026, 12:12 PM PT. Sources: ESPN, Yahoo Sports.
What the show said vs. what's confirmed
- Confirmed: the Colts fired general manager Chris Ballard on Monday, Oct. 19, per ESPN. The hosts call Indianapolis 0-6 on the show. ESPN had the Colts at 2-5 after their Oct. 25 loss to the Vikings.
- Confirmed: Jacoby Brissett's Cardinals beat the Rams 18-16 on Oct. 18 (ESPN).
- The hosts say, not independently confirmed by us: Troy Aikman, Tony Romo and Greg Olsen are all heading toward free agency as broadcasters; Arch Manning is on the verge of being benched at Texas; how long Davante Adams will be out; reports about Jalen Hurts' health; a Justin Herbert passer-rating figure; the Brewers honoring "timeless" tickets for World Series games; Rays attendance; and the Kings still being winless.
Can't see the video? Watch "Is Peyton Manning Taking the Colts GM Job?" on YouTube (35:06, released Oct. 19, 2026).
Episode summary
The episode starts in Indianapolis. The hosts walk through the theory of Peyton Manning returning to the franchise where he began his career, this time to run it. One host lays out a scenario: Manning takes the job if the Colts hold the top or second pick, drafts Arch Manning, and turns the Colts into a family business. The other puts it at "90% no" and asks why someone with Omaha Productions and an ESPN deal "making millions a year" would go run a team every day. The roster has been changing too. See our post on the Colts trading Quenton Nelson to Seattle and the one on DeForest Buckner going back to the 49ers.
From there the episode covers a lot. The hosts discuss reports about Jalen Hurts' health and the Eagles' medical staff, and argue that the Rams look old and short on answers. They also take up a fan theory that the Dodgers lost on purpose. They give JJ McCarthy credit for his breakout, but say Malik Nabers' return may matter more. In the booth segment, the hosts say Aikman, Romo and Olsen are all heading toward broadcast free agency, and they predict a wild offseason for announcers.
The episode closes with You Mad? listener comments, Man vs Machine game predictions, survivor-pool strategy, notes on the Rays and Brewers, and the Kings. For the NFC picture since this episode, see Vikings Beat Colts 16-10 to Stay the NFL's Last Unbeaten.
Chapters
- 0:00 LA weather and the best college football Saturday ever
- 0:43 Jalen Hurts health reports and the Eagles' medical staff
- 2:24 Survivor pool carnage: Rams and Colts lose
- 4:32 Are the Rams done? The Davante Adams injury
- 6:45 A fan theory: did the Dodgers lose on purpose?
- 7:50 JJ McCarthy's breakout and Malik Nabers is back
- 9:13 Colts GM change: is Peyton Manning next?
- 13:18 Arch Manning's struggles at Texas (the hosts say he's near a benching)
- 14:11 Aikman, Buck and the Monday Night Football booth
- 16:43 Where Tony Romo goes next
- 20:03 You Mad? Your comments: Kyler, Harbaugh, Herbert
- 20:34 Justin Herbert's passer rating
- 21:53 Man vs Machine: game predictions
- 27:18 Survivor pool strategy
- 31:09 Rays attendance and Brewers timeless tickets
- 33:38 Kings still winless and a live show next week
Five takeaways
- Peyton to the Colts is talk, not news. The hosts frame it as a "what if," and ESPN reports the Colts haven't approached him. The fun part is the scenario where Peyton takes the job and Arch follows.
- In the hosts' view, the Rams look like a team at the end of a cycle. They compare them to the Dodgers: older and more expensive than their results.
- Jacoby Brissett keeps busting survivor pools. On the show, Brissett "has been ruining survivor pools since week one." The hosts say the Rams' loss to Brissett's Cardinals knocked out another wave of entries.
- The booth could see more movement than the field. The hosts say Romo, Aikman and Olsen are all set to be available, and they expect at least one network's lead pairing to change.
- Don't hand JJ McCarthy all the credit yet. The hosts argue Malik Nabers' return is the bigger story behind the box score.
Related: Colts trade Quenton Nelson to the Seahawks · DeForest Buckner traded back to the 49ers · Vikings Beat Colts 16-10 to Stay the NFL's Last Unbeaten · Falcons beat the 49ers 29-20
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