Colts owner Jim Irsay refutes reports on QBs Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck - Indianapolis Star

Jim Irsay this morning refuted a report that the Colts and quarterback Peyton Manning have discussed moving the deadline for the team to pay Manning an option bonus that will activate the final four years of his contract and prevent him from becoming an unrestricted free agent.

“There has been no discussion of a deadline push,n just like '98 with Manning/Leaf..u have 2 go thru a long,disciplined process of evaluation,” Irsay tweeted.

Sports Illustrated’s Peter King reported Saturday on NBC that: “Both may be amenable to pushing back that March 8 date by which he's owed $28 million in the option bonus by the Indianapolis Colts.”

Another report, by ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, stated that Irsay has decided to use the Colts’ first overall pick in the April draft on Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck.

A club spokesman declined to comment on the report. Avis Roper, the Colts’ senior director of communications, noted that underclassmen such as Luck can’t officially declare themselves eligible for the draft until Jan. 15.

“I don’t think he’s even declared an agent,” Roper said, “so that’s something we can't even comment on."

Call Star reporter Phil Richards at (317) 444-6408.