Peyton Manning missed the 2011 NFL season because of a neck injury. The problem required multiple surgeries and prevented him from playing for the Indianapolis Colts, ending his run of 227 consecutive starts, including playoffs.
Manning had surgery in May 2011 to address a herniated disc and a pinched nerve in his neck. When his recovery did not progress as hoped, he underwent another procedure in September. The Colts placed him on the physically unable to perform list, and he ultimately did not appear in a game that season.
The injury was especially significant because Manning had been one of the league’s most durable quarterbacks. Indianapolis struggled without him, finishing 2–14 and receiving the first overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, which it used to select Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck. Manning was released after the season and signed with the Denver Broncos, where he returned to play in 2012 and later won Super Bowl 50.