Peyton Manning likely out for rest of season

Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts watches the action during the game against the Washington Redskins at Lucas Oil Stadium on August 19, 2011 in Indianapolis, Indiana. / Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Updated at 10:57 a.m. ET

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning will likely be out for the remainder of the season, team owner Jim Irsay announced at breakfast meeting with Super Bowl donors Monday, saying that Manning may take practice snaps in December, CBS News affiliate WISH-TV in Indianapolis reports.

The announcement comes after the Colts turned to their third string quarterback in a 23-20 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Sources at the breakfast meeting told WISH-TV that Manning won't practice again until December and may not play again until 2012.

Irsay later clarified via Twitter that a Manning-less season was not "for sure" and that the team is keeping him on the active roster.

There is an outside chance, Irsay posted, that Manning could return in December.

The Colts confirmed Sept. 8 that Manning had a "single-level anterior fusion" and that the surgery was "uneventful."

Peyton Manning has 3rd surgery, return in doubt

The procedure was the outcome of tests and consultations after his recovery from a previous neck surgery in May was progressing slowly. The surgery in May was to repair a bulging disc.

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"Peyton Manning likely out for rest of season"

Out for good, maybe? Herniated disc (or discs - that was never made clear) with likely aggrivating nerve damage in the neck in an field warrior past 35 with a deserved reputation for being hard on his body does not give me a warm and fuzzy feeling that he will ever return.....

I have never had much use for football and other gladiator-like sports but Mr. Manning is generally a class athlete and I hope He can resurrect his health if not his career.