Peyton Manning Rumors: Why Seahawks' Team Doctor Should Entice Manning

Everybody thinks the No. 1 priority for Peyton Manning when choosing his next destination is how quickly that team can win a championship in his limited window.

Wrong.

The No. 1 priority is the health and safety of his neck. He’s had four surgeries on it in a 19-month span and the nerves in his neck have been very slow to regenerate. There is no medicine he can take to magically make them grow back.

Which brings us to the Seattle Seahawks.

According to Dan Pompei of the National Football Post, the Seahawks have one of the top spine doctors not only in the NFL, but in the entire United States:

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The Seahawks also could have a better feel for Manning’s medical situation than some teams. One of their team physicians, Stan Herring, who also is one of the country’s preeminent specialists for spine injuries. Herring is a member of the NFL’s Head, Neck and Spine Committee.

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Who knew a trainer could swing the fortunes of the entire league.

Right now the Seahawks employ Tarvaris Jackson and Charlie Whitehurst as their quarterbacks. Both of them wish they could finish a season with a record above .500. That’s the only thing Manning has known dating back to 1999.

At this point it’s all but certain the Indianapolis Colts are going to cut him in next month before his $28 million bonus kicks in. As a free agent he has full discretion on his destination. Sure, winning is going to be a huge factor, and when you look at his options, Seattle looks pretty good.

The defense finished in the top 10 statically and only got stronger as the year went on. Receiver Sidney Rice may be injured a lot, but he still is one of the top talents in the league. Marshawn Lynch would surely re-sign if Manning were in town, Doug Baldwin is coming off an outstanding rookie year (788 yards and four TDs), and the offensive line is one of the better units in the league.

In an NFC West that is still one of the weakest in the league, and the incredible home-field advantage of CenturyLink Field, Seattle is starting to sound pretty appealing.

But the biggest factor in the entire equation is his health, and if Seattle can provide him with the best care, it’s a no-brainer for No. 18.