Report: Peyton Manning Training in New Orleans With Intent to Return

Peyton Manning is back home in New Orleans training, and he has every intention of playing next season.

Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com reported Monday night that is the case for the Denver Broncos quarterback. Duncan, a well-respected NFL reporter for the New Orleans Times Picayune, said that Manning has been evaluated by renowned fitness trainer Mackie Shilstone and is expected to begin training with Shilstone this week as he starts offseason preparations for his 18th season, two sources told Duncan.

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Duncan added in his report that Manning wants to talk with Broncos executive vice president and general manager John Elway before announcing his intentions for the 2015 season, a source told Duncan. Manning hopes to talk to him in the next couple of days, according to Duncan’s story.

As has been talked about since the season abruptly ended, before committing to the Broncos, Manning was awaiting medical evaluations on his surgically repaired neck and a thigh injury that hampered his performance the last part of the season and in the playoff loss to the Indianapolis Colts.

Elway and the Broncos wanted to know of Manning’s intentions by March 9, the day before teams must exercise their rights on veteran players under contract.

This latest report shows what most of Broncos Country has suspected all along: there was no way Manning was going to let that disgraceful game against the Colts be his last in the NFL. The question now: What do Elway and the Broncos do with Manning’s salary?

By the end of the week, there could be a news conference planned to put the speculation to bed and the prep for the 2015 season can begin. Of course, according to Duncan, that’s already begun.

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Jan 11, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) reacts against the Indianapolis Colts in the 2014 AFC Divisional playoff football game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The Colts defeated the Broncos 24-13. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports