Report: Peyton Manning cleared to resume playing

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Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning watches his team play against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the first half Jan. 1 in Jacksonville, Fla. Phelan M. Ebenhack / The Associated Press

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February 2, 2012

By Tom James CNHI News Service The Herald Bulletin Thu Feb 02, 2012, 07:17 PM EST

INDIANAPOLIS —

According to ESPN, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning has been medically cleared to play next season. The report stated that Manning was cleared by two doctors, including Dr. Robert Watkins, who performed the most recent surgery on the quarterback's neck.

The cable network's sources said Watkins examined the four-time NFL Most Valuable Player recently in Los Angeles and concluded the stability in his neck would have allowed the quarterback to play this Sunday if the nerves in his arm had regenerated to a satisfactory performance level.

Colts media relations director Avis Roper stated Thursday evening that ESPN's report correlates with what has been known over the last several months -- that the spinal fusion surgery Manning underwent on Sept. 8 was a success and that the only impediment to his return to the playing field was how quickly the nerves in his neck and back recovered.

A recent survey by Pittsburgh Steelers neurosurgeon Dr. Joseph Maroon that tested 14 elite athletes, eight of them current NFL players who all had undergone the same procedure as Manning, the average time of nerve regeneration was nine weeks to one year from the time of the initial surgery.

Nerve regeneration is important for Manning's recovery because of the concern about the return of normal strength of the quarterback's right arm. That's the issue going forward, as it has been for the past couple of months.

Manning is due a $28 million bonus on March 8. The bonus will trigger the final four years of a five-year, $90 million contract.

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Report: Peyton Manning cleared to resume playing

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