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Report: Colts' Irsay talking to Peyton Manning about major front-office role

Brent Smith / REUTERS

The Indianapolis Colts are reportedly attempting to bring Peyton Manning back to the house he built.

The Colts have spoken to their former quarterback about returning to the franchise as part of the front office, Bob Kravitz of WTHR.com reports.

More specifically, FOXSports' Jay Glazer adds that owner Jim Irsay has made a "strong push" to make Manning the head of football, with Jon Gruden acting as head coach.

While Gruden reportedly turned down Irsay's attempts to hire him, opting to stay as an ESPN broadcaster, Indy is still hopeful of capturing Manning.

Manning became synonymous with Colts football during his 14 seasons with the team, winning one Super Bowl and four MVP trophies over that span.

The Colts moved on from Manning after the 2011 season, drafting Andrew Luck and ushering in a new era under the guidance of head coach Chuck Pagano and general manager Ryan Grigson.

However, after three consecutive playoff appearances, the Colts have stumbled to back-to-back 8-8 seasons. This has led to rampant speculation that changes may be afoot this offseason, with Pagano appearing to be particularly vulnerable due to the interest in Gruden.

It's not clear if the Colts would keep Grigson if Manning came aboard, or how exactly the power structure would be organized.

Grigson has been criticized for his poor big-money moves in free agency and questionable trades, but Manning is just one year removed from retirement and has no experience running a team.

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