Colts activate QB
INDIANAPOLIS — More than a month after having knee surgery and enduring weeks of rampant speculation about whether the injury was worse than first feared, two-time league MVP Peyton Manning finally provided his doubters with one emphatic answer Tuesday: He’s back, right on schedule.
“This is a significant step for me to get back out on the practice field,” Manning said before throwing and running with teammates. “If things go well, as we expect they will, then I hope to be full go next week and ready for the season opener.”
Manning will be limited in practice initially after being activated from the physically unable to perform list.
Coach Tony Dungy said the Colts will be cautious with the franchise quarterback during this short week — Indy played Buffalo on Sunday night and faces Cincinnati on Thursday — before giving him a full complement of snaps next week.
“We’re going to monitor him and [rookie tight end] Tom Santi, who will start practicing today,” Dungy said. “So we do have a pitch count on those guys.”
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