The Rams reportedly are interested in adding quarterback Peyton Manning. Former Lakers star Magic Johnson clearly is interested in the Rams adding Peyton Manning.
Peyton and Magic appeared Wednesday on The Tonight Show, and Magic made a public pitch to get Peyton to L.A.
“I tried to talk somebody out of retirement and come to the Rams,” Johnson told Jimmy Fallon, while pointing over his shoulder to Manning. “I said, ‘Man, if you play again, come to the Rams.’ I was working on him backstage. I will even chip in some money.”
Manning sat quietly, laughing through it all as the rest of his face assumed the shade usually reserved for the middle of his forehead after taking off his helmet.
“Look, look, look,” Magic said. “He’s turning a few colors over here.”
“I’m getting embarrassed,” Peyton said.
“I want to cheer for him if he don’t retire as a Ram,” Johnson later said. “I got my recruiting hat on right now.”
No one knows what Peyton Manning will do in 2016, but we’ve all known for years that Peyton very much likes to be fully in control of every situation. And it’s hard to imagine Peyton walked into last night’s situation without being fully aware that Magic would bring up the subject on the air. It’s also hard to imagine that Peyton wouldn’t have done everything in his power to persuade Magic not to bring it up, if Peyton didn’t want to be put on the spot.