We’re about a month into the “Peyton Manning to (fill in
the blank)” rumors, and since we’re over a month away from
Manning’s fate with the Colts becoming a known quantity,
they’re not going away any time soon.

Manning’s future was a hot topic in Peter King’s Monday
Morning QB column on SI.com.

Writes King:

Manning might be fine and ready to play
football in 2012, and maybe even a year or two beyond
that. Or he might wake up on March 1 and not feel fit
enough, and get his release from the Colts, and then spend
more time rehabbing, trying to get fit enough and strong
enough in the neck and arm to play this year. Or he might
say, with new twins in the house, it’s all not worth the
risk.

King also referenced longtime NFL executive Gil Brandt,
who said, “my gut feeling is that we’ve probably seen the
last of Peyton.”

Wow.

Another layer of speculation was heaped on Sunday night
during NBC’s coverage of the Pro Bowl, when Manning’s
former head coach Tony Dungy dropped his thoughts on the
future of #18.

“I do not think he’s going to play for another team,”
Dungy said. “If he’s healthy enough, he’ll play for the
Colts. If he’s not healthy enough, he’ll retire.”

Pretty strong words from a man who spent seven seasons
with Manning as his quarterback.

Dungy’s statement came just hours after Colts owner Jim
Irsay took to Twitter to refute an NFL Network claim that
the decision to waive Manning was made weeks ago.

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