I hate that I was right about this one. Especially with the Super Bowl being in Indy this year.
INDIANAPOLIS -- Colts quarterback Peyton Manning underwent another surgery on his neck Thursday, the team has confirmed.
In a statement, the team said the star quarterback underwent surgery to have a single-level anterior fusion.
"The surgery was uneventful," the team's statement read. "This procedure is performed regularly throughout the country on persons from all walks of life, including professional football players."
ESPN reporter Chris Mortensen broke the story Thursday afternoon, quoting sources who said Manning underwent a one-level cervical neck fusion after consulting with a half-dozen doctors.
"Manning actually just got out of surgery. No plans for injured reserve as doctors monitor fusion result, per sources," Mortensen tweeted Thursday afternoon.
The surgery has a minimum recovery time of two to three months.
"Rehabilitation from such surgery is typically an involved process," the Colts' statement read. "Therefore, there will be no estimation of a return date at this time. We will keep Peyton on the active roster until we have a clearer picture of his recovery process."
Indianapolis spinal surgeon Dr. Rick Sasso, who has not treated Manning, said, typically, a small incision is made in the front of the neck to relieve pressure from a herniated disc.
"We optimally want to put the disc back to where it belongs to open up the tunnel where the nerve runs out. We put a little bone graph across that -- a titanium plate -- so people can move their neck right away without putting on a collar," he said. "We let them get back to their normal activity right away."
The team confirmed Wednesday that Manning will not play in the NFL season opener at Houston this Sunday, ending his streak of 227 consecutive starts.
Manning has not been able to fully recover from neck surgery in May.
