(Image source: Wikimedia Commons)

BY CHRISTINE KARSTEN

ANCHOR JIM FLINK

Insider information or just average Joe speculation?

That’s the question Indianapolis Colts’ fans are asking, after a tweet by actor and noted Colts’ fan Rob Lowe tweaked the Twitterscape.  And it wasn’t just one tweet.

“Hearing my fave, #18 Peyton Manning will not return to #NFL. Wow. #Colts”

Then following up with NFL Network analyst Rich Eisen...

“@richeisen My people are saying Manning will retire today. What do you hear? #NFL”

Now while Lowe is not revealing his source, USA Today did reveal just how close Lowe is to the Colts, reporting:

“The actor, as it happens, is friends with Colts owner Jim Irsay. Lowe is also the first person Irsay followed on Twitter, before the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell.”

And USA Today continued by saying it took Irsay, who tweets often, hours to respond to Lowe’s tweet about Manning’s possible retirement. When he did, his response came in the form of a joke.

“My sources tell me Rob will star in an epic remake of "Deep Throat" with aging porn stars and 4 finger circus clowns!”

All of which has created quite the buzz.
When Lowe made an appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres show, he claimed he tweets about the Colts at least once a week and because of this uproar realized the power of twitter. He was a little less transparent when asked about his source that gave him this information.

(Ellen) “You have some information obviously right? Somebody told you?”
(Rob) “Ellen I would tell you, but then I would have to kill you.”

So while Lowe isn’t coming forward with his source, and Irsay is not confirming or denying the speculation, the question remains -- is Manning retiring or not? NFL Network’s Jason La Canfora asked Manning’s agent, Tom Condon.

“I called Tom I prefaced the conversation saying this might be one of our weird calls but hear me out. I explained what was going on he said, ‘no, I have not heard anything. I will check back with Peyton, but no, I have not heard anything of any retirement.”

The Washington Post reported -- when Manning’s father, Archie, heard about Lowe’s tweet, he laughed and said it was not true.

No word from Peyton himself -- yet -- about his intentions.