Report: Manning may never play again

[FirstTimer]

Four-time NFL MVP Peyton Manning has hit a plateau in his rehabilitation from neck surgery, and the slow rate at which the nerves in his arm are healing indicate he will not play again, Yahoo! Sports reported Monday, citing two sources.

Manning's future with the Indianapolis Colts has dominated headlines in recent weeks, with team owner Jim Irsay facing a decision on whether to pay $28 million to retain the star quarterback.

The 35-year-old began throwing in December after the fused vertebrae in his neck healed as expected, but he has not shown any improvement in the velocity of his passes.

The two sources feared Manning would never show improvement again.

Further, two league-affiliated doctors told the website that it could take a year before Manning knows if he will be able to return and said they would recommend Irsay let go of him.



With Manning sidelined for the entire 2011 season, the Colts finished 2-14 and will select first in April's draft. Most expect the team to select Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck with that top pick.

The team will owe Manning a $28 million roster bonus if he is still with the team March 8, leading many league observers to conclude the Colts cannot afford both quarterbacks.

Earlier Monday, Irsay told reporters that he wanted to shift the focus away from Manning this week in the lead up to Super Bowl XLVI between the Giants and Patriots in Indianapolis on Sunday

[Tailback U]

Why are you posting this if it hasn't been confirmed??

/bear pand

Really though, sad news if true. I hope he can come back from this but obviously he needs to be 100% healthy. Truly one of the greatest of all times.

[Houston]

Why couldn't it be Tom Brady instead?

[killgod]

Why couldn't it be Tom Brady instead?

Your butthurt is showing

[JBregz]

Just read this before I saw it on here, if it's true that'll be a real shame. One of the greatest QB's of all time.

[FirstTimer]

Just read this before I saw it on here, if it's true that'll be a real shame. The greatest QB of all time.

Fixed.

[Champ]

The lockout caused this.

[Acesuper]

As I sip my morning coffee I feel a slight twinge in my stomach. I've never been a Peyton Manning fan and every time I saw a game with Manning in it I wanted him to get crushed by the opposing team. Because he was that good, obviously.

Sigh. Time sure does fly. Time sure does fly. Give me more sources Yahoo and I'll stop sighing and start taking a walk looking up and the sky knowing life...is changing.

[Rblake]

Yahoo! News: more reliable than brain dead laboratory apes.

[Bear Pand]

Why are you posting this if it hasn't been confirmed??

/bear pand

Really though, sad news if true. I hope he can come back from this but obviously he needs to be 100% healthy. Truly one of the greatest of all times.

Quit acting like a bitch.

At least this article contains information and isn't just some twitter "juicy gossip" although it's still just rehashing the same things we've heard over and over again. He may retire? Wow.

[ram29jackson]

journalism is now purely sensationalist crap from just about all sources.

Until,from his mouth,he says he is done. I dont give a crap what is posted or written as so called journalism on the internet or anywhere.

[ram29jackson]

As I sip my morning coffee I feel a slight twinge in my stomach. I've never been a Peyton Manning fan and every time I saw a game with Manning in it I wanted him to get crushed by the opposing team. Because he was that good, obviously.

Sigh. Time sure does fly. Time sure does fly. Give me more sources Yahoo and I'll stop sighing and start taking a walk looking up and the sky knowing life...is changing.

oh shut up.......drama queen

[Rblake]

For the first time ever, I agree with R29J (about hearing it from Peyton's mouth).

[Archer]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/7524484/peyton-manning-indianapolis-colts-expects-play-again-no-timing-decision

Peyton Manning plans to return to football, but he and Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay have not discussed his future, he said in an interview with ESPN on Tuesday.

"I really feel good. I continue to make progress every day," he said. "Everything that the doctors have told me has been on point, which is encouraging to me. I just had a great day today with rehab, just got back from the facility, and that's what we continue to do. Just keep trying to get better. So far I have. That's the plan from here on out."

"I cannot predict that," he said. "I think it's well documented how I feel about this city, the fans, the Colts, Jim Irsay. It's well documented. Tough decisions have to be made. They'll be made at the appropriate time. This is just not the week to do it. It's not the week. I know people can talk about it, that's fair, that's part of the game. It doesn't mean that I have to add to that conversation, and I just don't plan to."

How many more years will he play? Hard to say," Manning said. "Hard to say.

"(There's) no set timetable. I really don't. I've played a long time. I'm grateful for the time that I've played so far, and I have nothing to complain about. How much longer, we'll see."

Manning said he will wait for the Super Bowl to be over before talking to Irsay. He added that he doesn't think the decision on his future with the Colts will come down to the last minute.

"I think the sooner the better, I really do," he said. "Jim and I talk constantly, we really do. We're in constant communication, and after this week is over, we'll do it, and we'll make a good plan from there. Either way, it's going to be good. I'm at peace, and it'll be a positive thing, I can assure you."

Manning termed his relationship with Irsay as "great."

"It's always been great," Manning said. "And it will continue to be great, I assure you of that."

Sounds promising

[Diivox]

I've been saying he'll never play again for months now. Not to piss you off again Archer because you got really angry at me last time I said it, but the reality is, we're talking about nerves regenerating in a neck, and by all accounts that hasnt happened yet. it hasnt happened in a year. by all accounts (except for his, and of course, what the hell do you expect him to say? "im hurt, so its ok if the colts dont pay me the 28 million bonus") he has still not recovered and there is no timetable for him doing so. he'll either heal, or he won't, and theres nothing that can be done about it.

Of course Peyton is going to be like "im gonna get better" and "If its at all possible im going to play". and everyone called Irsay crazy in the thread where they talked about getting rid of him. you don't keep 35 year old quarterbacks with neck injuries who have to learn an entirely new offensive system and havent played football in a year who have made it clear that they want no part of the team if Andrew Luck is drafted (yeah, yeah, i know, Archie said that, but this is just like Favre's retire/unretire nonsense - these guys have been around the block enough to know how to manipulate the media and control the message that gets to it).

0 reasons to keep the guy. It's football, you dont pay guys for the past, you pay them for the future. now dont turn into MrBill here Archer, this is a once in a generation opportunity for your team to make a clean break with a guy that was projected 1 overall before the season and did nothing to lose that status during it. Luck may not be Manning, but he's your best shot at being competetive 5 years from now. You know. when they are voting Manning into Canton on the first ballot.