2012 NFL Draft: Andrew Luck Guarantees Awkward Departure for Peyton Manning

At some point, Peyton Manning was guaranteed a ticker tape parade and grand exit when he was done in Indianapolis. After one of the worst seasons for the Colts, that just isn't the case anymore. 

Brett Favre had the perfect exit but didn't want to take it and extended his career beyond the Packers. After injuries, Joe Montana became expendable to Steve Young. 

There was a very real hope that Peyton Manning would go out how the truly great should always leave. It is rare to see a man stay with one team and bow out on their terms and to do it gracefully.

Thanks to awful play, injury to Manning and the No. 1 pick in the draft, Manning's departure will be something quite awful. 

You can call it ridiculous fortune or coincidence, but the Colts are certainly a lucky franchise. If we believe that Andrew Luck is the most NFL-ready quarterback in recent memory, the Colts will move seamlessly from one star QB to the next. 

You just can't ask for blind, dumb luck. That fortune does have a cost. In a Yahoo! Sports radio interview, Archie Manning divulged to host Craig Shemon that there is a very real possibility that his son Peyton Manning may not play next year due to injury.

If true, there is no way that the Colts can continue on with Peyton Manning as their presumptive starting quarterback. We just saw what uncertainty looked like over a full season.

That brings us to the possibility that Manning has already played his final game in a Colts uniform. Per the radio interview, Jim Irsay is sticking to his guns that he will not trade Manning. He may be open to releasing him, though.

While it makes no sense not to get some youthful talent for a player that is a legend in the league, the worse crime would be for Manning to be released like he were just another player.

This is not just another player, but one that all budding quarterbacks look up to. He epitomizes success and consistency, and he may be thrown out with little fanfare.

The celebratory ending where happy tears are shed will not take place. Rather, Manning will most likely be forced out to make room for the new kid. It's not shocking, this is a business after all.

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