Eli Manning was thinking the same thing most NFL fans were, Peyton Manning's career was over. When the current Denver Broncos quarterback underwent surgery on a serious neck injury, younger brother Eli feared Peyton's career was over. There was certainly a lot of speculation that might be true. However, as Peyton prepares for his third Super Bowl, Eli is thankful it was not.
"I saw him after that first surgery, this neck surgery, and I was pretty much convinced that he was done," Eli said, via NFL Network. "There was no way he could come back and play football. That first time he went and we were just throwing it in the backyard of our house. We're throwing 15 yards away, and it was a lob. He couldn't throw 15 yards on a line. It had no pop."
Manning missed the entire 2011 season due to the surgery. The result was the Indianapolis Colts earning the No. 1 overall draft pick, signing Andrew Luck and letting Manning go to the Denver Broncos. Skeptics appeared to be right when Manning finally returned to the field in 2012. His arm strength was not what it used to be. The Broncos put together a playoff season, but it was not until 2013 that Manning finally looked back to his old self. The result was another record-breaking season.
"I remember watching his preseason game last year and I was worried. I was kind of like, 'I don't know how this is going to work,' " Eli said. "If you gotta make a throw, or someone's in your face, and you can't step into the throw, can you make all those throws that you gotta make a lot of to end games."
Peyton admits that he had the same fears as many of the skeptics watching his every move. Sitting out an entire season, while now normal in basketball, could mean the end of a career in football. Manning's legacy worked in his favor as Denver took a chance on signing him. Everything has worked out in the end for the quarterback.
"In some ways, when I had my neck problems, I thought maybe I had been on borrowed time this entire time," Peyton said. "I was fortunate to have 20 years of health to play football. If that was going to be the end of it because of a neck injury, I really, believe it or not, had a peace about it."
Manning's career is once again getting put into question. After the Super Bowl, the quarterback will undergo a series of tests to determine the status of his surgically repaired neck. If things do not go well, Manning could be forced to retire earlier than he may hope. While he says that is not a focus right now, it will be a storyline to monitor in the offseason.
