I finally figured this all out.
Browns owner Jimmy Haslam is purposely sabotaging the team, so the great Peyton Manning can swoop in and rescue the Browns and the city of Cleveland.
Yes the Browns could use a quarterback like Manning, but fans may get a better treat if Haslam can convince his fellow Tennessee alum to bring his talents to Cleveland as an executive after the legend hangs it up.
Haslam gutted his front office on Tuesday, and talk has always been that Haslam would make Manning an offer he couldn’t refuse once he decided to hang em up.
Pundits always thought Haslam would buy the Titans and hire Peyton to run the team.
Mary Kay Kabot is reporting that Haslam has Manning on his radar, and will target him once Manning decides to walk away from the playing part of the game.
Haslam currently has no CEO in the front office. My guess is that he’ll offer that job to Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning someday. He loves Manning, they’re great friends, and he’s watched what John Elway has done in running the Broncos. Manning will play at least one more season to break Brett Favre’s record for TD passes, but might be lured into a CEO role after that. The day Haslam agreed to purchase the Browns, I asked him if he’d bring Manning aboard, and he praised Manning, saying among other things, “he’s very smart.”
First Peyton Manning would have to decide that he wants to continue to be involved in the game once he retires. Manning has all the intangibles to be a great exec.
The same meticulous preparation that made him a Hall of Fame player could do wonders for the Browns as a GM.