INDIANAPOLIS — Count Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay among those worried about Peyton Manning’s neck.
On Saturday morning, Irsay used his Twitter account to acknowledge there is a possibility the Colts will start the season without their No. 1 quarterback, who had surgery to repair a nerve in his neck in May.
“We r evaluating the QB sitch — 18 healing but we must 2 b prepared 4 early season possibility without him,defense has 2 pick it up,big time!,” Irsay wrote.
It’s a notion that will undoubtedly make Colts fans cringe and, until now, seemed inconceivable. Manning, who signed a five-year, $90 million contract last month, is the only four-time MVP in NFL history.
Later in the day, speaking at halftime of a high school game sponsored by his charitable foundation, Manning said he doesn’t expect to play in the Colts’ final two preseason games, but hopes to be ready for the Sept. 11 season opener at Houston.
