Polian: Peyton Manning ready to be GM immediately

Dubbing Peyton Manning "a football nerd," ESPN analyst Bill Polian said Wednesday that the Denver Broncos quarterback — should he decide to retire — could immediately step in as general manager of an NFL team.

The proof for Polian comes in the 14 years he and Manning spent together with the Indianapolis Colts, the team's former president said on SiriusXM NFL Radio.

"During our 14 years together in Indianapolis, he would often discuss with me prospects coming out in the draft, SEC players he’d seen, players he’d seen in other parts of the country," said Polian. "He pays close attention to the rosters of the other (teams) in the league, with specific attention to the AFC."

Polian went on to say: "He knew the strengths and weaknesses of every player on every defense in the AFC and many on offense, because he met them and got to know them at the Pro Bowl and soaked up information. He is a football nerd, as am I. He's more than prepared to do that job."

The football world has been on a Manning standstill, of a sort, as it waits to see if he will retire after winning his second Super Bowl 24-10 against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. The victory was his 200th (regular season and playoffs), passing Brett Favre for the most in NFL history.

Another great name has been linked to Manning — John Elway, with many saying Manning's career mirrors just how Elway's played out in the 1990s.

Elway, though, served as CEO of the Arena Football League's Colorado Crush from 2003 to 2008 before becoming GM of the Broncos. Manning won't need that kind of training before becoming an NFL general manager, Polian said Wednesday.

"All he would need would be a brief tutorial on the league rules and things like the general terms of trades and contract language — of which he's also very familiar, because of his own contract," Polian said. "He's well-prepared to do that. He could step right from the playing field into a role like that, because he's ready. I don't know that he will, but if someone wanted him to do it, he would be ready immediately to do it."

Will Peyton Manning retire with a Super Bowl title?

Among the rumored teams that Manning could take the reins of are the Tennessee Titans or the Cleveland Browns. Some in Indianapolis hoped to see Manning step in as the Colts GM, replacing Ryan Grigson. Grigson, of course, recently signed a contract extension through 2019.

But general manager isn't the only position Manning would be a good fit for, Tony Dungy, Manning's former Colts coach, told IndyStar in November.

"I think he could be a coach at any level," said Dungy, now a broadcaster for NBC. "I think he could be a GM. I think he could go into broadcasting. I think people are going to be clamoring to get him after he's done."

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Follow IndyStar reporter Dana Benbow on Twitter: @DanaBenbow.