Peyton Manning Says Healing a 'Good Sign' For Colts
Peyton Manning is gearing up to make his return to the football field, even if it is just to throw around a few balls.
Manning, Indianapolis Colts QB and four-time league MVP, had his third surgery in 19 months on Sept 8, and has been given a signal of good progress by his doctors, ESPN reported. The QB expressed excitement for being able to toss the ball around again.
"Throwing will be part of the next progression," Manning said Friday. "I will be doing some throwing and I have been doing some throwing. But now we're going to ramp it up a little more."
The Colts have kept Manning active on their roster, in hopes that he would return and help improve the team’s 0-11 roster since his departure. However, Manning remained mum with the media when asked about his official return date on Wednesday.
"There is no schedule, there never has been. I think we have checkpoints here, and I don't know when the next one is," Manning said. "But I hope they don't announce it, so y'all won't be here on decision day like Wednesday supposedly was.”
Jim Caldwell, Colts’ coach, seemed unsure about when his star QB would return, even to practice.
"I don't know. I really don't know," Caldwell said. "I just know they've been pretty cautious with what they've allowed him to do. I just know he's not practicing today. I know that."
Still, Manning said the doctor’s report that his neck fusion is healing properly was a good thing.
"This is a good sign," Manning said. "A lot of people have had fusions, and I know of some cases where it doesn't take, so it's comforting."