The Indianapolis Colts have been struggling to find a franchise quarterback for years - since Andrew Luck left. Anthony Richardson was supposed to be the future of the franchise, but that is seemingly not going to happen... or, if it does, it will have been with no shortage of obstacles along the way. There's already talk of Indianapolis needing to look towards the 2026 NFL Draft to find a new QB, with neither Richardson nor Daniel Jones likely to be the long-term solution.
Jones might well be QB1 this season, but the only adjective used to describe him so far is "serviceable." If the Colts are wanting to return to their status as a dynasty that teams should fear facing, there will need to be a quarterback to lead them in that direction. Could the answer come from none other than the son of one of the Colts' own legends?
Marshall Manning is the future
Earlier this year, Peyton Manning's son, Marshall, was showing off a bit during the Pro Bowl Games, where he took a few snaps and stunned the league. At just 13, he demonstrated that he already has some incredible arm strength, easily hitting Ja'Marr Chase with a pass in the end zone, as well as his ability to be accurate in the downfield.
“Marshall Manning man.”#ProBowlGames pic.twitter.com/wUB3fMUoNh
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) February 2, 2025
Suffice it to say, that moment already raised eyebrows, with many fans beginning the countdown until the 2034 NFL Draft now.
And the newest highlight reel from Manning is only making the anticipation that much greater.
A superstar, and not even in high school yet
A middle school highlight reel for Manning is going viral, and it's easy to see why. There are plenty of people already looking towards his older cousin, Arch Manning, who will make it to the NFL a few years before Marshall does. But this latest footage has put the attention back towards Marshall again.
If you ever wonder what a future NFL QB looks like in middle school, just check out Peyton Manning’s son Marshall’s highlight reel pic.twitter.com/lxHxY9znNT
— zach ragan (@zachTNT) June 25, 2025
Marshall already has a Hudl page with highlights available, and he does not look anything like a middle school quarterback. Despite being so young, he already shows immense potential, with good pocket awareness and proving that he can already run high-level plays. College recruits will be salivating over him already, and there's no doubt that Marshall Manning will have his pick.
And when it comes to the NFL? Unless he ends up being a massive disappointment, there's no doubting the Colts will be prepared to do everything they can to get him in Indianapolis.