Peyton Manning had one of the worst performances of his career on Sunday, and a lingering injury seems to have affected the Denver Broncos quarterback.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Manning attempted to play through plantar fasciitis in his right foot but further damaged the injury.
Denver's Peyton Manning has torn plantar fascia in right foot, league sources tell ESPN. Manning was battling plantar fasciitis; worsened.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 16, 2015
Depending on the severity and Manning’s pain tolerance, he could be sidelined for a few weeks or simply play through the injury. Rest is the best medicine for plantar faciitis, but Manning might not want to stand on the sideline during what is probably the final year of his career.
Plus, if Brock Osweiler were to perform well as Manning’s replacement, the backup quarterback could shed that label. Although Manning is a Hall of Fame quarterback, he’s struggled mightily in 2015.
Osweiler better fits Gary Kubiak’s system, but it’s not like the Broncos coach would flat-out yank a healthy Manning.
At this point, however, everything is conjecture. Some will declare the worst-case scenario, that Manning’s career ended on a four-interception performance. However, everything comes back to how much pain Manning is willing and able to tolerate.
And from where we’re all standing, that information isn’t yet available.