Colts QB Peyton Manning: An Injury That Hurts NFL Fans Everywhere

The Manning drama took a turn for the worse today, as the city of Indianapolis was cut deeply as Peyton went under the knife for the third time in 19 months.  Early Thursday morning, the Colts owner gave scary foresight saying that number 18 would be “out for awhile.”  Hours later, Chris Mortenson reported that the franchise quarterback had undergone what is known as a cervical neck fusion, and would be out for 2-3 months.  This isn’t just a blow to the Colts; this is a loss for the entire NFL. 

First off let's get this straight; no one should expect to see Peyton Manning under center this season.  Putting Peyton an IR right away would be an even more painful blow, just days before the Colts begin their season.  Kerry Collins has enormous and impossible shoes to fill; few give him the slightest chance.  There are even scarier thoughts swirling around the sports world, as some ponder just how bad this injury might be. 

The team tried voicing some optimism after news broke, stating “this procedure is performed regularly throughout the country on persons from all walks of life, including professional football players.  Two former Colts players had this same procedure last winter and have fully resumed their careers.”  With that being said, one has to acknowledge that this is Manning’s third neck surgery in attempting to fix the same single problem.  Doctors have been unable to develop an accurate read and timeline during the recovery process. The next few months will be monitored closely as we all hold our breath waiting for some positive news.  After all, no real football fan is happy seeing number 18 in street wear on Sundays.

Peyton Manning isn’t just important to the state of Indiana; he is in many ways the face of the NFL.  For years football fans enjoyed engaging in the heated Brady/Manning debate.  Every season we were privileged to see Peyton’s Colts challenge Brady’s Pats.  Peyton Manning provided us with the Larry Bird, Magic Johnson rivalry for the NFL.  Aside from his talents, he’s one of, if not, the most likable guy in the NFL.  Manning is not just a likely Hall-of-Fame quarterback; he was also one of the main figures in Manhattan law offices in attempts to end this past summer’s lockout.  Peyton Manning is a voice for the people.  He was a Super Bowl win away from being one of the consensus all-time great quarterbacks. 

Think back to 2008, week one, Tom Brady goes down with a season-ending ACL tear.  In no way did that injury hurt the NFL the way losing Manning hurts.  Peyton has revolutionized the way the QB position is played today.  He’s a coach with shoulder pads on. During his career he’s earned the leeway to basically call his own plays.  Peyton Manning is truly a once in a lifetime player.       

With that in mind, its important to remain optimistic about Peyton’s recovery.  However, some concerns have been whispered across the sports world.  Tony Kornheiser brought up the question this morning, what if he doesn’t play again?  Former CB Ellis Hobbs has resurfaced in the last 24 hours, answering questions regarding Peyton’s neck injury.  Hobbs announced his retirement earlier this year after he himself endured multiple neck injuries.  He expressed concerns regarding the scary nature of reoccurring injuries to the vertebrae.  During Peyton’s healing process, all we can do is wait patiently, and hope we see the four-time MVP out there soon.