When one of the NFL’s greatest players, Jim Brown, passed away earlier this week, amongst the first people to join in the commemoration of the legend was none other than the Indianapolis Colts Tycoon Owner, Jim Irsay. For the 63-year-old Billionaire, Brown sat at the top of his list of the greatest men to ever step onto a football field. However, there is something else on the list which is making fans unhappy. 

But when Irsay released his personal list of the greatest players of all time, fans weren’t happy with what they saw. Although the inclusion of Brown at the top of the list came as a surprise to absolutely nobody, the rest of the team owner’s list riled up the football world, especially with his glaring exclusion of one of his very own legends. 

Jim Irsay reassesses his personal list of legends

For more than a decade, Peyton Manning stood as the stalwart and face of the Indianapolis Colts. Bringing a Super Bowl victory to the franchise, while being the prime competitor to Tom Brady, Manning set the standard for greatness in the Colts. So it was especially surprising to see his name left off his own team owner’s list of the greatest ever. But after drawing the rage of Colts and Manning fans from around the world, Irsay finally changed his opinions. 

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Although Manning only made the honorable mentions on Irsays top 5 on his last go, the HOF QB shot straight up to the second spot on his revised list. Tied with none other than the great Tom Brady, Manning made his way alongside the addition of 49ers legend Jerry Rice. Rounding out his five was the legendary DE David ‘Deacon’ Jones. 

Why did Irsay leave Peyton Manning out?

While most would expect a familial relationship between the Colts’ greatest player, the man who brought them the Lombardi, and their owner, things are not as they seem. Irsay leaving Manning off his list of greatest players goes a long way back, with a disappointing ending to a legacy of greatness. The Manning-Irsay beef originated from the seven first-round exits that the team suffered in the 2000s. 

Although the team had won a Super Bowl, Irsay grew increasingly frustrated with the team’s continuous early exits in the playoffs. This eventually boiled over when Irsay and the Colts drafted Andrew Luck in the 2012 draft, letting go of Peyton Manning disgracefully, and bringing the Manning era to an end. Given the strained relationship between the two, perhaps we now know the reason why Irsay left the franchise legend off his list. 

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