Peyton Manning To Chiefs Rumors: John Clayton Compares Scenario To Joe Montana

There's an instant comparison that comes to the mind of NFL fans and sportswriters who've been around long enough to remember a decade or so ago when the Kansas City Chiefs last acquired a Hall of Fame veteran near the twilight of his career in Joe Montana. The reason is that they might be on the verge of doing it again in the next few weeks if and when Peyton Manning is released from the Indianapolis Colts.

That's the comparison John Clayton makes in his recent column from the NFL Combine. Taking on player perspectives from Lucas Oil Stadium, Clayton reserves his last point to move away from pro hopefuls to the Manning rumors circulating around Indy.

He writes, "Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli and coach Romeo Crennel made it clear they want veteran competition for starting quarterback Matt Cassel. When asked about looking at Manning, if he's cut by the Colts, Crennel said Saturday the Chiefs would be crazy not to consider him. The Arizona Cardinals checked in with similar thoughts earlier in the combine week.

"The Chiefs want to bring back veteran Kyle Orton. Signing Manning could kill any competition, but it would be a move similar to the trade the Chiefs made for Joe Montana after he was finished with the San Francisco 49ers. The Miami Dolphins and Washington Redskins seem to have the best chances of signing Manning if he's released, but interested new teams are checking in."

So it's clear that multiple teams are still involved and the Chiefs happen to be the rumor du jour right now. Other teams have stepped onto that platform in recent days, so expect the rotation to continue until Manning's future has been decided.