Manning, Elway, Shanahan, a Broncos philosophical triangle?

Peyton Manning

OK, it's not Gödel, Escher, Bach (link to the book provided for the unaware).

But, Mike Shanahan reportedly still lives in Denver, and with John Fox just getting the boot, Denver needs a new head coach.

So, let's ramp these rumors up!

Shanahan as a coach seemed to get along at least reasonably well with the man who would be his boss, his überquarterback of the time, John Elway.

However, Elway, somewhat a loose cannon as a player, apparently has, or had, something in his craw about Shanahan. Whether that's now changed, with Elway holding the Broncos reins, I don't know. Also, if that link above is true, whether Shanny's learned his lesson after the DC Daceys, I don't know.

Shanny got fired six years ago more, even much more, for his failures as a GM while wearing two hats than his coaching. And, Elway apparently thought he was a control freak.

Meanwhile, Peyton Manning seemingly has indicated some degree of discontent with Fox's coaching. If that helped push Fox out, Elway would certainly double-check his own coaching list with him.

Could that be enough to get Peyton to redirect his ruminating? Start the speculations!

My own speculation? About a 20 percent chance of this happening. See poll at right for a chance to vote yourself.

At a minimum, I do think it's more likely than Jack Del Rio getting moved up from the D-coordinator spot.

Especially since Del Rio and all other assistants were reportedly also canned.

Hmm. That means that Gary Kubiak could be Shanahan's offensive coordinator, if he doesn't tab his son. (Some reports say that Kubiak doesn't want a head coaching job right now.)