It didn’t take long for the Indianapolis Colts to fire GM Chris Ballard after the loss to the Titans. And little time passed before Peyton Manning’s name jumped into the mix of replacements. But should the Colts look to Manning or Andrew Luck as their next GM?

The 26-20 loss to the previously winless Titans proved to be too much for Ballard to overcome. He was in his 10th season, and the Colts managed only a 72-82-1 record. Also, they earned just one playoff victory. The 2-4 start this year, putting them two games behind the Jaguars in the AFC South, proved to be Ballard’s undoing.

So what’s next for the Colts?

Would Peyton Manning consider this career move? That’s the question posed, according to a post on X by the Dan Patrick Show via Awful Announcing.

“So now you have an opportunity to put Peyton back in Indy as a GM and part owner,” Patrick said. “And he gets to pick his quarterback. So now all of a sudden, the community is going to love this. The league would love this. Would Peyton love this?

“Now my source says the only question will be Peyton’s family. They enjoyed Denver quite a bit. His kids are getting to the age where moving has implications, difficulties. But it would seem all involved owe it to themselves to explore it and consider it.”

It’s hard to imagine Manning’s willingness to take over the grind of a general manager role. That’s a 12-month-a-year, wall-to-wall grind.

He’s making too much money for a lot less hassle and way less criticism.

But then again, Tom Brady and Matt Ryan have taken on similar roles with the Raiders and Falcons, respectively. And the part-ownership stake in the Colts might be appealing to Manning.

What about Andrew Luck?

There are questions about whether Luck would leave his current position as general manager for Stanford University. There are certain difficult things about that position, but it comes with good pay and a lack of every-day scrutiny during the NFL season.

Part of the problem for Luck, or Manning for that matter, is that the Colts view themselves as something they are not. Team co-owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon seems to believe the Colts are among the NFL’s elite franchises, according to The Athletic.

“Our standard is to compete for championships, and I believe a change in leadership is necessary to meet that standard,” Irsay-Gordon said. “Making this change during the season was a deliberate decision. Waiting would only delay the important work that needs to begin now.

“We will conduct a thorough search for our next general manager and take the time necessary to identify the right leader for the future of this organization. I also want to be clear: This decision does not change our goals for the season. We have a lot of football in front of us, and I expect us to compete, improve, and win football games.”

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It’s also hard to see Luck moving the needle the way Manning could. He doesn’t have anything close to Manning’s resume. Luck played just six seasons, retired young for health reasons, and never made it to the Super Bowl. He’s not exactly a hero among Colts fans.

What is the best path for the Colts?

The Colts should look to a guy like James Liipfert, the assistant GM of the Houston Texans. His resume reads well, according to Sports Illustrated.

The Texans have enjoyed a good run of recent draft picks, including C.J. Stroud, Will Anderson Jr., and Derek Stingley Jr. Also, Liipfert helped the Patriots win two Super Bowl titles.

It’s not a no-brainer, perhaps, but that’s the direction the Colts should take. The Manning and Luck seems more like a publicity stunt.