Things are just never going to change for Eli Manning. Here he is on the cusp of potentially winning his second Super Bowl, and he still can't get out of his older brother's shadow.

ESPN's Chris Mortensen is reporting that Peyton has been medically cleared to continue his NFL career. That news comes after months of widespread speculation that he'd never play another down.

 

The doctor who performed Manning's surgery has concluded that the quarterback's neck has progressed to a level that he could have played this Sunday, provided the "nerves in his arm had regenerated to a satisfactory performance level."

OK, that seems like a pretty big caveat. I'm quite skeptical that Manning could go out there right now and throw a football with any type of velocity. Hell, will he ever come close to being what he once was? That is the big question, one that probably won't be answered for several months.

 

There's a monumental difference between being medically fit to play football and being effective while doing it. Time will tell.