Peyton Manning remains on the Indianapolis Colts' active roster, and that's where he'll stay for the time being, vice chairman Bill Polian said Tuesday.
In an interview with the Colts' official website, Polian said the team plans to leave Manning on its 53-man roster, "as long as the doctors tell us there's a chance for him to come back."
Polian also hearkened back to 2010, when the Colts waited until late in the year to place safety Bob Sanders, who suffered a torn biceps tendon in the opener, on season-ending injured reserve in explaining his logic.
"We saved the spot for Bob Sanders last year all the way up to Week 12, maybe even beyond that," Polian said, "Because the prognosis, which is just that -- it's a guesstimate the doctors give you, it's not cast in concrete -- was that Bob had a chance to make it back by the end of the season."
It remains to be seen how long the Colts will be willing to wait for Manning as he recovers from neck surgery. Polian said Manning will not return to the field until doctors are certain the quarterback is able.
"It bears very, very strong emphasis that he will not be allowed back on the field until the doctors are satisfied that he's 100 percent and ready to go, regardless of what occurs with the season or doesn't occur with the season," Polian said. "His long-term health is what the most important thing is here."
