Peyton Manning, in a public appearance at the Las Vegas Adobe Summit on Wednesday, did his best to downplay all the juiciest rumors surrounding his life after football.
For the record, he says he is not looking to run a football team or represent the state of Tennessee in the U.S. Senate.
"I don't know where that came from. Last week I was going to run a team, this week I'm going to apparently run for Senate, and next week I'll be an astronaut," Manning said, via the Denver Post. "I have no interest in the political world, but would like to continue serving communities."
He added: "The best advice I got was to not sign up for something full-time right away that you can't commit to. I'm taking my time and seeing what my options might be."
The best part about the persona Manning created for himself over a 17-year NFL career is that he can essentially aw-shucks his way out of just about anything. That includes any potential political aspirations or a desire to one day be a general manager or team executive like former boss John Elway.
It is hard not to support him taking his time. Manning has a second life to live and a world's worth of options. Pragmatism is essential to happiness, and he's not caving to pressure just yet.
Another dip into the NFL world would be fascinating, given how some former players have been fast-tracked into management positions of great significance lately. Would Manning be the next? Or, as he did on the football field, would he revolutionize the situation altogether?
"I miss the camaraderie of teammates," Manning said when asked what he misses most about the game. "You do everything together. You practice together, you eat together, you sit in these team meetings together. And I miss the plane rides after a win."
