Denver Broncos QB Peyton Manning To Retire Following Devastating Loss To Former Team Indianapolis Colts & Injury?

Will Peyton Manning retire from the NFL following the Denver Broncos devastating 24-13 second round NFL playoff loss to Manning's former team and his replacement, Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts? Far from the certain thing returning appeared only a few weeks ago, indications are now that Manning is going to ruminate on his future and deal with the injury he has reportedly spent the past month playing with. The news that Manning had injured his quad, tearing his 'rectus femoris' helps explain the drop in the star quarterback's output over the second half of the season, but questions still remain about his future.

John Elway retired at age 38, after 16 seasons, 256 regular- + postseason games... Peyton Manning is 38, after 17 seasons, 280 total games.

— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) January 12, 2015

Following the loss, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Manning said "My mindset right now is just disappointment after [Sunday's] game."

ESPN Stats/Info: Peyton Manning was just 2-of-12 for 49 yards on attempts that traveled at least 15 yds;6-of-21, 107 yards on passes >5 yds

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) January 12, 2015

Not confirming that he would continue with Broncos next year Manning equivocated, telling reporters that he was "disappointed. I kind of need to process this game. We'll meet [Monday]. I'm disappointed I need to process this game."

When pressed as to his wish to return to the NFL next year, Manning stated: "Uh, yeah, I guess I just can't give that simple answer. I'm processing it. I can't say that. I could not say that."

Sports of The Times: As Passes Miss the Mark, Peyton Manning's Future Begins to Waver https://t.co/o0wRVNHXIu

— The New York Times (@nytimes) January 12, 2015

Does this perhaps signal the beginning of the end of Peyton? As the New York Times's Michael Powell writes, "perhaps Peyton Manning, with three neck operations and 17 years in the league, has begun to lose that piano tuner's expert feel for precisely the right note."

Even Sports Illustrated's Peter King said in his Monday Morning Quarterback column, "It was not pretty watching Peyton Manning's twilight."

After Sunday's loss to the Colts, is the Peyton Manning era officially over? https://t.co/VSzqJ7xTDI

— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) January 12, 2015

Rolling Stone's Kenneth Arthur wondered whether it was Denver's receivers were the problem, then realized that "Manning could not throw a pass further than five yards downfield," and "it became obvious that this was probably Manning's fault. And now it's apparent that maybe the last month of the season was too."

He goes on to say that "Manning looked as "Manning" as usual through 12 games, but then December brought an icy chill to his game that may finally signal a reason to retire to that Papa John's in the sky."

Peyton's fallen short before, but he's always bounced back. Why this one feels different: https://t.co/XmmOUd0aLm pic.twitter.com/yuqW69zcT9

— NFLonCBS (@NFLonCBS) January 12, 2015

CBS Sports's Pete Prisco adds that "Years ago, when I first met Peyton Manning, this would have been one of those days all about football, unable to let it go, heartbroken about the loss. This time, it didn't feel that way. This felt different."

"Maybe," he continued, "it's because he knows it's time. Maybe it's because he knows the end is here."

If he does retire, says The Washington Post's Nate Greenberg, then we should celebrate Peyton as "one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time", and not let his sketchy playoff record — 11-13 with 9 first-game exits — taint that. 

Broncos QB Peyton Manning played Sunday's Divisional Playoff loss and the past month of the season with a torn right quad, per two sources.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 12, 2015

As for the injury, Schefter reports that the Denver quarterback "has a torn rectus femoris, one of the four muscles that make up the quadriceps."

Peyton Manning initially tore his right quad Dec. 14 in win over Chargers, per sources. MRI back in Denver confirmed tear.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 12, 2015

As the ESPN story says, the rectus femoris injury affects the "muscle [that] runs from the pelvis to its attachment just below the knee."

Specifically: Peyton Manning has a torn rectus femoris, which runs down center of thigh. Bruising was so severe it spread to back of his leg

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 12, 2015

Adds Schefter, "The bruising from the injury was so severe, it had spread to the back of his leg, a source with knowledge of the injury told ESPN."

Peyton Manning: 9 "one-and-done" playoff appearances Tom Brady: 9 AFC Championship appearances. pic.twitter.com/flrDkosuPR

— NFL (@nfl) January 12, 2015

What do you think? After five MVPs, one Super Bowl win in three appearances, four neck surgeries and plenty of miles on the odometer, should Peyton Manning concentrate on his acting?