There's no doubt in Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay's mind -- or at least his Twitter feed -- that Peyton Manning will heal from last week's neck surgery and return to form as one of the top quarterbacks in NFL history.
"Peyton's gonna heal n have 3 or 4 years of a final period of greatness,we're gonna host an amazing Sup Bow,we're gonna improve n play better," Irsay tweeted Tuesday morning.
The upbeat tone comes in stark contrast to the general glum atmosphere in Indianapolis these days following the news of Manning's operation and the Colts' 34-7 season-opening loss to the Houston Texans.
The Texans overwhelmed the Kerry Collins-led Colts en route to a 34-0 halftime lead. The bad vibe surrounding the Colts continued after the loss when Irsay told The Indianapolis Star that there wasn't a definitive timetable for Manning's return.
"With these things, you never know the time frame," Irsay said. "There's a broad range of two to six months."
The Colts and Manning agreed on a five-year, $90 million deal in July, but the team has the ability to cut ties with the quarterback by opting out of a $28 million option bonus due in February, making him a free agent.