Sports | Peyton Manning Peyton Manning: Ignore Rumors, My Recovery Is on Track Says he's confident he will be 'cleared and ready to go' By John Johnson Posted Jan 31, 2012 5:52 PM CST Copied In this Jan. 1, 2012, file photo, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning watches from the sideline during the first half of a game. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File) Stories keep circulating that Peyton Manning is done with football in the wake of his spinal surgery—Yahoo Sports had one today based on anonymous sources, and Rob Lowe of all people tweeted a while back that he had the inside scoop that the quarterback's career is over, notes the Washington Post. How about Manning himself? He addressed the issue for the first time in an ESPN interview and said all the right things about playing next year. "I really feel good. I continue to make progress every day," he said, adding that he just had a "great day" at rehab. Doctors are telling him "everything thing looks good, that I'll be cleared and ready to go." Of course, he'd be crazy to say otherwise before March 8, the day the Colts must decide whether to pay him a $28 million bonus or let him become a free agent. Read These Next It's a survival story fit for a sea shanty. For first time, SCOTUS is asked to overturn gay marriage ruling. White House plans sweeping checks of Smithsonian exhibits. Got grandkids? You may want to set up a secret code with them. Report an error