The Colts have quickly responded to the Indianapolis radio report claiming that Peyton Manning will require another neck surgery.
“I don’t know anything about that. I honestly don’t,” Colts President Bill Polian told SI’s Peter King.
That’s not a confirmation, but it’s not exactly a denial either. It reminds us of the Steelers-Cardinals Super Bowl in 2009 when PFT broke the story about Ben Roethlisberger requiring x-rays.
King asked Steelers coach Mike Tomlin back then if x-rays had occurred on Roethlisberger’s back.
“Not that I heard,” Tomlin said.
We all learned after the Super Bowl that the story was dead on and Roethlisberger was hurt.
We don’t know if Manning needs surgery, but there is growing concern that he will miss playing time. ESPN’s Adam Schefter said on air last week he thought Kerry Collins would start the opener.
After talking to Polian, King wrote the following on Twitter:
“Don’t go thinking Manning’s fine+will play in 7 days at Houston. I’m starting to believe he won’t. [Kerry Collins] could be a pretty smart $4m buy. . . . Talked to an authority on Peyton surgery this weekend. Learned it’s all about nerve regeneration. You can’t rush Mother Nature.”
Whether the Colts like it or not, Manning’s health will be the biggest story in the league this week.
(And possibly every week after that until he’s ready to play.)