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INDIANAPOLIS (Jan. 17, 1999) -- Peyton Manning, the Indianapolis Colts' workaholic quarterback, is finding there actually is life outside of football. Manning, his father, Archie, and a couple of family friends spent the past week duck and deer hunting in Mississippi. Peyton's payoff was several ducks and his first buck, an eight-pointer. The getaway was arranged by the Mannings. The concept -- putting an arduous rookie season behind him -- was at the urging of the Colts. Aware that their quarterback needed some rest and relaxation, offensive coordinator Tom Moore and quarterbacks coach Bruce Arians advised Manning to get away from it all as soon as the season ended. Manning's father, a former quarterback with the New Orleans Saints, concurred. "They told me to take January and get away from everything," Manning said. "You really go hard as a rookie and there really isn't much time to relax during the season. "I know everybody needs to get away, but this is new to me. It has been pretty much full-speed ahead since last year. In fact, college was four years of full-speed ahead." Manning's down time will extend into February. Then it's back to work, albeit at a more casual pace than during training camp and the regular season. He and his receiver corps will meet for a week in February and again in March for some pitch-and-catch sessions. A thorough video rehash of the Colts' 1998 season will serve as a lead-in to minicamp in late April. Manning said he's enjoyed roughing it in Mississippi, but doesn't want to make it a January tradition. "During the week, I'm OK," he said. "But when the weekend rolls around and the playoff games are going on, you wish you were out there playing. "Hopefully, next year we will be and I won't have this time to go hunting." Not surprisingly, the call of the wild hasn't been able to totally stifle Manning's thirst for football. After a shoot before breakfast, Manning dug a football out of the back of his vehicle. "It wasn't anything serious," he said. "It gave a couple of those guys a chance to relive their high school glory days."
Manning, who is more than a little bit country, made arrangements through Great Western Outfitters to purchase 11 pairs of custom-made ostrich cowboy boots. The boots, priced at $500 a pair, will go to his 10 offensive linemen and line coach Howard Mudd. The gift is Manning's way of thanking his line for giving up only 22 sacks, 40 fewer than the previous year. It came with a decree. "I told them I was buying them cowboy boots so we could go out and kick some butt next year," he said. The boots are the latest example of how Manning, the team's other quarterbacks and the offensive linemen have bonded. During the season, they went out for dinner every Thursday night.
Coryatt, the No. 2 overall pick in the 1992 draft, was waived by the Colts on Aug. 31 after a preseason that saw him battle a persistent shoulder injury. Surgery has addressed the problem and a source close to Coryatt said "he's almost 100 percent. Quentin is looking forward to Feb. 12 ... six teams are very interested in signing him." The Colts are not. Coryatt has filed a grievance against the team, claiming it cut him while he was injured. A league arbitrator is expected to rule in February whether the Colts must pay Coryatt his 1998 base salary of $2.3 million. `
A name to watch: Chad Cota. Cota signed a three-year, $5.4 million contract with New Orleans before the season. However, he was able to void the deal when the Saints improved eight positions in the NFL in interceptions. If the Saints are unable to re-sign him before Feb. 12, Cota will be an unrestricted free agent.
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