Manning undergoes third neck sugery has 0 comments

Sep 8th 2011, 21:25 | FFN-Score: 34 points

Now that Manning has undergone surgery, the next question is how long the franchise QB will be out.

Colts owner Jim Irsay told fans earlier Thursday that Manning could miss more than just Sunday's season opener against the Houston Texans, tweeting that the QB could be out "awhile."

"We had a good practice yesterday and r guys r fired up 4 the season. (hash)18's out for awhile, but compete, we will/BELIEVE," Irsay wrote.


Initially, the Colts thought Manning would return within six to eight weeks after his May 23 surgery. But with Manning unable to work out with team trainers during the 4½-month NFL lockout, the recovery has gone much slower than anyone anticipated.

He opened training camp on the physically unable to perform list and wasn't activated until Aug. 29.

After doing limited work on the practice field last week, Manning complained over the weekend about soreness in his back. Initially, team officials thought it was just part of the normal rehabilitation process. But doctors then instructed Manning to stop practicing and began running more tests.

That prompted team officials to announce Monday that Manning was doubtful for the season-opener. On Wednesday, the Colts ruled him out of the game.

Throughout the past several days, speculation has run rampant about the severity of Manning's injury.

On Wednesday, Jake Query, a radio host for WNDE-AM in Indianapolis, tweeted early in the day that Manning would miss the season, adding in another post "I was also told the 3rd procedure has taken place, either Sun or Monday."

That prompted a response from Irsay in the evening.

"Peyton didn't have a medical procedure last sunday,we'll have more info 2 add clarity 2 situation soon," Irsay tweeted.


The only other time Manning has missed a regular-season snap because of injury was in 2001 against the Miami Dolphins. Backup Mark Rypien fumbled. The Dolphins recovered, then drove 59 yards for the winning score. Manning returned on the next series with a bloody mouth. He was later diagnosed with a hairline fracture in his jaw.

Not only has he never missed a start, he's rarely missed practice.

Manning sat out one week of training camp in 1998 before signing his rookie contract. A decade later, he missed all of training camp in 2008 because he underwent surgery twice to remove an infected bursa sac from his left knee.

Somehow, he's always made it back for game day.

But he won't make it back this time.

"To say I am disappointed in not being able to play is an understatement," Manning said in a release sent out by the team Wednesday. "The best part about football is being out there on the field playing with my teammates. It will be tough not to be out there playing for the organization and our fans. I simply am not healthy enough to play, and I am doing everything I can to get my health back. The team will do fine without me, and I know for sure that I will miss them much more than they miss me."

Since being taken with the No. 1 overall pick in 2008, Manning has led the Colts to 11 playoff appearances, 11 double-digit winning seasons, eight division crowns, two AFC titles and a Super Bowl championship.

The Colts have also made a record-tying nine consecutive playoff appearances, and he's the only player in league history to win four MVP Awards.