Peyton Manning HGH Investigation: Latest Details, Findings and Reaction

The NFL will reportedly continue to investigate Peyton Manning despite his pending retirement, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, after an Al Jazeera report in December claimed that HGH was delivered to the quarterback's home in 2011. 

As Florio noted, however, obtaining evidence could be difficult for the NFL, as Manning won't be required to cooperate with the investigation as a retired player.

Florio added: "The league will get the smoking gun (if there is one) only if a prosecution or a lawsuit makes private documentation public—or if Manning and his wife sign a sufficiently broad authorization form that would allow the Guyer Institute in Indianapolis to give the league the documents it would need."

Even if the league does find evidence that the Al Jazeera report was accurate, it's unclear if it would punish Manning in the event he one day becomes an executive or coach for an NFL team. 

The allegations made against Manning came from Charlie Sly, who claimed Manning's wife received shipments of HGH in 2011. He has since recanted his story, however, and he told Chris Mortensen of ESPN (via ESPN.com) he made up the information given to British hurdler and undercover reporter Liam Collins in the report.

Manning was recovering from neck surgery in 2011.

Manning did acknowledge the possibility that his wife had received HGH for her own treatment, however.

"Any medical treatments that my wife receives, that's her business," he said in an interview with ESPN's Lisa Salters (via ESPN.com) in December. "That has nothing to do with me. Nothing that was sent to her and my wife has used have I ever taken. Absolutely not. I have my treatments that I do. She may have hers, but that's her business. There's no connection between the two."

Manning, who is formally retiring as a player Monday, finished his career with the most passing yards (71,940) and passing touchdowns (539) in NFL history. He was a 14-time Pro Bowler, a seven-time first-team All-NFL selection by the Associated Press, a five-time league MVP and two-time Super Bowl champion. 

He'll go down as arguably the greatest quarterback in NFL history, at least statistically. The league's continued investigation into HGH allegations does have the potential to tarnish his legacy, however, or at least the accomplishments he added to the legacy he had already established in his 13 years with the Indianapolis Colts.