Tommie Harris spent training camp in 2011 with the Colts, and although he may not have lasted long enough in Indianapolis to get a real good feel for the personalities of Peyton Manning and Jim Irsay, Harris did offer what may be the most interesting comments yet about the relationship between the two of them.
Harris said on NFL Network that Irsay’s comments come across like those of a boyfriend who regrets breaking up with his ex-girlfriend.
“I had a chance to be under Jim Irsay when I was with the Colts, and I’ve got to say he was quite different, a different owner,” Harris said. “You know how that ugly girlfriend, she kind of goes away, and then she ends up getting pretty and losing weight and then she ends up getting back healthy? This is the thing, Peyton Manning has become that girlfriend. They got rid of him, thought he was used up, thought his neck was messed up, and went back and became so beautiful.”
I’m not sure I’ve ever heard a player described as being like the owner’s ex-girlfriend before, but there may be some truth to Harris’s analysis of the situation. Irsay is the one who decided it was time for the Colts to break it off with Manning, and he may be experiencing some regret as he sees Manning look better than ever with the Broncos.