Peyton Manning
Injury and Recovery
Peyton Manning Bio
Quarterback in the NFL. Played for the Indianapolis Colts for 14 successful seasons. His first season was in 1998, after being the first pick in the draft. His dad was a quarterback in the NFL and his younger brother, Eli Manning, is a quarterback in the NFL for the New York Giants. Peyton Manning has won the league MVP award 4 times, and is a Super Bowl Champion and MVP. In the last few seasons, he suffered several hits to the head and his neck was beginning to be sore. He underwent surgery in May 2011.
Injury Details
The first surgery in May 2011 was intended to alleviate his neck pain, and help to restore his arm strength; it accomplished neither of these. During his off season workouts during the lockout, he was unable to complete his throwing motion, and he had lost almost all of his arm strength. Also, after a day of football, the next day he could barely move his neck without any pain. He had a MRI, and doctors decided he needed a spinal fusion operation on his neck. Due to the severity of his pain, and his age, doctors made it clear that a return to the league was unlikly. It seemed this injury would be a career ender for Payton Manning. One thing for sure, it ended his 14 season career with the Colts, as he was relased by the team.
Peyton Manning - End of Era in Indy Highlights
Post Surgery
He was not supposed to ever play again, but a miraculously successful recovery defeated the odds. He reached an agreement with the Denver Broncos to become their quarterback. While his health was not guaranteed, the Broncos took a gamble, as he is arguably the best quarterback in the NFL. This gamble paid off because in his first season as a Bronco, a year after surgery, he has recorded stats earning him a spot in the MVP race, and took the Broncos into the playoffs as a top seed. His surgery defied odds and his recovery brought him back stronger.