Peyton Manning: Colts' Superstar QB Reportedly Cleared to Play

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning has been medically cleared to resume his NFL career, according to ESPN's Chris Mortensen:

Per an extended report, sources told Mortensen and ESPN's Adam Schefter that Manning has been cleared by two doctors, and that he has been instructed to continue an "aggressive rehabilitation path."

Manning had a series of neck surgeries before the 2011 season, and he ended up missing the entire campaign. The Colts went 2-14 in his absence, securing the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 draft.

What Does It Mean?

Well this is a surprise. Just a couple days ago, Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports reported that people close to Manning were doubtful that he would ever be able to resume his career.

The problem, according to Cole, were the nerves in Manning's arm. His neck has healed okay, but the nerves in his right arm have not, leading to less zip on his passes.

Cole's sources said that Manning was going to need a full year to recover.

Manning's doctors apparently think otherwise. This is essentially the first step towards Manning playing again.

What Happens Next?

This is the big question. Now that Manning has been cleared to get back to football, the question is if the Colts are going to keep him around. They owe Manning a $28 million option bonus in March. If they choose not to pay it, he'll be an unrestricted free agent.

There's also the Andrew Luck factor to consider. He'll belong to the Colts if they want him, but having both him and Manning on the roster is going to be tricky, not to mention expensive.

Luck said on Thursday, via ESPN.com, that he would be fine with sitting behind Manning. At the same time, he said he wants to start too.

One way or the other, the Colts are going to have to make a very tough decision in the very near future.