<
        >

          NFL Nation

          Peyton Manning says numbness not a new feeling, just business as usual

          • Jeff Legwold, ESPN Senior WriterAug 26, 2015, 05:35 PM ET
            Close
              Jeff Legwold is a senior writer who covers the Denver Broncos and the NFL at ESPN. Jeff has covered the Broncos for more than 20 years, joining ESPN in 2013. He also assists with NFL draft coverage, including his annual top 100 prospects. Jeff has been a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Board of Selectors since 1999. He has attended every scouting combine since 1987.
            Follow on X

          ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- In a few words Wednesday, Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning made his feelings known about the feeling in his fingertips.

          Manning recently discussed -- with Sports Illustrated's Peter King -- the fact he doesn't have full feeling in his fingertips even now, more than four years after his fourth neck surgery, which caused him to miss the 2011 season.

          "There's nothing really new from what I've kind of said all along," Manning said following Wednesday's practice. "I feel pretty good."

          Manning has often discussed "the changes I've had to make" as he continues to play in the post-surgery portion of his career. And the main reason he has started to wear a glove at times in practices and games -- he has repeatedly said he never wore a glove before he missed the 2011 season -- is the changes in the feeling in the fingers on his right hand as he grips the football to throw.

          Manning has not worn a glove on his throwing hand in any training camp practice thus far and did not wear a glove in his only appearance in a preseason game so far. Manning addressed that as well early in training camp after wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders said he believed Manning might throw harder without the glove.

          "I feel like he's just trying to get more catches or something, I feel like he's going through you to try to butter me up, maybe," Manning said early in training camp. " ... For four years, it seems like when there's not a whole lot to talk about, we always kind of go to the glove. It's kind of the go-to move. ... I've mentioned it before, due to my injury, my hand has some issues. I've been forced to wear a glove and certainly in certain elements, have to wear a glove. I practiced with it in the spring. I haven't worn it as much during training camp. I don't really have a real set plan one way or the other. I feel pretty comfortable with both."

          In his three seasons with the Broncos the team has won three consecutive AFC West titles and made one Super Bowl trip. Manning has thrown 131 touchdown passes, including an NFL single-season record 55 in 2013.