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Super Bowl week officially is underway and the future of Peyton Manning in Indianapolis threatens to hover over the game like a blimp.

The latest in the give-and-take between the quarterback and Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay concerns a report by the NFL Network’s Jason La Canfora that the team had decided what course it would take with Manning, whose future is in doubt because of a neck injury, “weeks ago, well this public squabble between the quarterback and his owner.” In addition, La Canfora reported that the Colts “almost certainly” would make a move on Manning, who is owed a $28 million bonus March 8, before the NFL Scouting Combine in late February. Irsay responded early Sunday morning on Twitter:

The “public squabble” last week involved an exchange of shots that rivaled Djokovic vs. Nadal. After a Rob Lowe tweet about Manning’s imminent retirement was shot down, Manning told the Indianapolis Star that the Colts’ facility wasn’t really conducive to healing because of all turnover in front-office and coaching jobs. Irsay responded by calling Manning “a politician.” Finally, the two decided to talk.

On Friday, they issued a joint statement in an attempt to “dispel any misperception that there might be any hard feelings between us.” They also tried to “assure Colts fans everywhere that we are both committed to maintaining our close relationship and to working together through any challenges the future may bring.”

Like the challenges of the coming week?

The Indianapolis Colts fired coach Jim Caldwell on Tuesday, the team announced.

The Colts hired Ryan Grigson as their new general manager last week and said they would have a decision on Caldwell’s future by the middle of this week. The team has called a 4 p.m. ET news conference.

It’s the second big move since the Colts’ miserable 2-14 season ended. The day after the season ended, owner Jim Irsay fired team vice chairman Bill Polian and Polian’s son, Chris, Indy’s general manager.

Caldwell opened his career by winning his first 14 games, the most in NFL history by a rookie head coach, and leading Indianapolis to the Super Bowl. He won an AFC South title in his second season.

Caldwell, hired in 2009, had a 26-22 record as the Colts’ coach. His teams were 2-2 in the postseason. He was one of 11 coaches hired after the 2009 season and becomes the latest to get fired. The only two coaches still in their jobs from the Class of 2009 are the New York Jets’ Rex Ryan and the Detroit Lions’ Jim Schwartz.

Franchise quarterback Peyton Manning missed the entire season after having his latest neck surgery Sept. 8, a procedure that has clouded his future with the franchise. Without him, the Colts unraveled, finishing 2-14 and missing the playoffs for the first time in a decade, but they’re in line to draft Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck with the No. 1 pick in April.

Owner Jim Irsay and Grigson must decide whether to pay four-time league MVP Manning a $28 million bonus in March, allow him to walk away as a free agent or redo the five-year, $90 million contract to make it more salary-cap friendly.

Though Manning has started throwing with teammates and players believe Manning is improving, Irsay must determine whether it’s worth taking a significant cap hit to rebuild around a 35-year-old quarterback who has had neck surgery three times in less than 24 months. If he is healthy, a big if, Irsay has promised to bring back Manning and make another Super Bowl run.

Manning had good reasons to want Caldwell back. Aside from the franchise quarterback, Caldwell and offensive coordinator Clyde Christensen understand the Colts’ offense better than anyone, and Caldwell helped Manning achieve his greatest successes. Before Caldwell became quarterbacks coach in 2002, Manning was an elite player with a losing record in the playoffs. With Caldwell, Manning won all four of his MVP awards, two AFC crowns and his only ring.

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