Peyton Manning: Comparisons to Brett Favre Are Unjust

We know that Peyton Manning is truly injured, and we know that his career may be in jeopardy.

However, the current situation between Manning and Colts owner Jim Irsay is doing neither of them any good at all.

One NFL Insider, Mike Freeman of CBS, believes Manning himself is causing the situation to worsen. He, in fact, drew a direct comparison to future Hall of Famer Brett Favre when describing the situation:

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These leaks about Manning being cleared to play are carefully plotted, well designed and unquestionably coming from Manning's camp. They're manipulative and designed as a preemptive PR strike to head off Jim Irsay likely saying sometime soon they have to release Manning because of his health. This is a Brett Favre-like ploy to put pressure on Irsay and the Colts. No question about it.

Peyton Favre.

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Irsay's response to the Manning report is far from unexpected:

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Peyton has not passed our physical nor has he been cleared to play for The Indianapolis Colts. Team statement coming on Friday.

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Neither side is wrong, as Freeman also points out, and they're both justified in their actions. Freeman goes on to say:

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Both sides want to blame the other for Manning's likely exit from Indy when there is actually no one to blame. It's just the circumstances. It's football. And it's Manning being Manning.

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But this isn't as simple as the old saying of "Favre being Favre," because Manning isn't being Favre.

There is a good chance that some of the leaks are coming from Manning's camp, but that is exactly where they should be. Manning didn't do anything wrong this season other than miss all 16 games because of injury. He couldn't help that.

Manning isn't stringing things out through training camp, he's not looking for a media circus and he's not trying to do anything for personal glory. He's simply clinging to the thread that he can play again sometime in the future.

Irsay and the Colts must have medical reason to cut Manning before he's due a $28 million roster bonus. Favre has never been in that situation.

The Colts have 28 million reasons to make it seem like they have doubts about Manning's future in the league. That was never the case with Favre.

Manning has every reason to at least attempt to show he's healthy even if he's not there yet. That wasn't the case with Favre.

Peyton Manning and the Colts are embarking on an ugly divorce. Things are being said, accusations thrown around and, essentially, punches are being thrown. But Manning is not following in Brett Favre's footsteps on this. The comparison to the old gunslinger isn't fair.

Expect Peyton Manning and the Colts to part ways, but it is nothing like Brett Favre.