Peyton Manning Injury Update: Speaks About Return to Colts Following Surgery
Peyton Manning, injured Indianapolis Colts QB, has spoken about his return to the field after close to two months since his neck surgery. Manning underwent a Sept. 8 neck surgery, which was his third in under two years.
The anterior fusion surgery involved cutting into the front of the neck and removing tissue between vertebrae. The QB returned to his team locker room on Thursday and spoke to the media about his future on the team.
"We're still waiting for the fusion to take place, it's still going slow with that and we still have some issues with the nerve and the regeneration of the nerve,” Manning said. “There's really not a schedule, a timeline of where I am."
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Manning said December will be the best time to analyze when he would be ready to return to the field. He said the aim is to be cleared for practice.
"I'd say December is the next checkpoint, and February is another checkpoint,” Manning said. “If I'm at a level where I'm cleared to practice, then the greatest venue to see where you are is on the practice field."
The QB explained his current contract with the Colts.
"It's a one-year deal with a four-year extension," Manning said. "Part of the reason to practice is so the Colts have a fair chance to evaluate where I am. The team has a right to know where you are physically and where your health is."
Though some have been focused on if the Colts are looking to recruit a new QB, Manning has said he is focused on personal improvement.
"I'm thinking about how can I get a little better,” Manning said. “(The contract) is really a one-year deal with a four-year extension and that was my recommendation because I wasn't healthy when I signed the contract."
