They call him P-Money, the latest highest-paid player in football after Peyton Manning’s seven-year, $98 million contract and $34.5 million signing bonus practically broke Jim Irsay’s bank.
Under other off-season signings by the Indianapolis Colts, there is a big blank. They didn’t have a first-round draft choice and couldn’t even sign their second-rounder, safety Bob Sanders, throughout camp. As a second-rounder with a screw in his foot, Sanders was pushing his luck, but the Colts simply don’t have excess cash to toss around.
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Manning and the Colts won their first two playoff games together last season, the sixth year for the quarterback best known for managing his game at the line of scrimmage like no other.
As the first player selected in the 1998 draft, Manning is expected to reach the top of the NFL world any time now. No one player deserves such expectations, nor does Manning expect to escape them.
Except for Green Bay’s Brett Favre and co-MVP Steve McNair of Tennessee, Manning has quarterbacked his team longer than anybody else.
Although the offense finished third in yardage, second in points and first in passing yardage, the Colts and Manning think there is room for improvement.
Manning wants to complete 70 percent of his passes and reduce interceptions, even though he threw only 10 last season.
Steve Young last hit 70 percent in 1994.
“Seventy is what we like. It’s high, sure, but it’s been done before,” Manning said. “I feel if I play at a high level–throwing for a lot of completions and touchdowns with a few turnovers–you’re probably winning games.”