Tennessee football: Peyton Manning to help pick new coach (and it could be a Vols legend)

Of course, Tennessee football legend Peyton Manning will be part of the Vols’ coaching search.

When Tom Brady told Peyton Manning that his beloved Tennessee football program has not been good since he left, Brady might have been onto something.

Several months removed from that unforgettable Memorial Day golf matchup for charity in the middle of a global pandemic, Manning’s alma mater is in rough shape. They fired former head coach Jeremy Pruitt after three seasons and a myriad of serious recruiting violation allegations. Manning, along with The Haslam Brothers, are part of the group to pick Pruitt’s 2021 successor.

During Tuesday morning’s episode of The Dan Patrick Show, the radio host mentioned one out-of-the-box candidate to keep an eye on. Yes, he was talking about former Dallas Cowboys legend, Tennessee star tight end and failed Monday Night Football broadcaster Jason Witten. Could Manning, The Haslams (Bill and Jimmy) and athletic director Phillip Fulmer end up picking him?

Going with a Tennessee alum or an East Tennessee native maybe the way to go

Witten may not have any coaching experience, but we know he would give his All for Tennessee should be the next Volunteers head coach. The Vols are looking at heavy sanctions and very likely a postseason bowl ban. In short, it may be several years before the Tennessee football program even gets back to what it was under former head coach Butch Jones, who was fired back in 2017.

In short, anyone taking over this Volunteers program now at rock bottom will be doing so as a labor of love. This is why the best candidates for the job are either Tennessee alums like Witten or an East Tennessee native like Coastal Carolina Chanticleers head coach Jamey Chadwell. Again, this thing is going to take some time. Tennessee cannot fire another head coach after three years.

If Manning and The Haslams end up going with Witten, this means playing career is finally over.

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