According to a client of mine who is an orthopedic surgeon, many NFL players have had similar fusion surgeries and returned to play in the NFL, including linebackers who are involved in violent hits on virtually every play. The risk isn't so much the fusion surgery, which ends up stronger, but less flexible, than the original structure of vertebrae and intervertebral discs, but whether the nerve will regenerate and Peyton will ever return to full strength. From what I can see from that U-tube video, it is regenerating and his strength is coming back. Assuming it does come back, if you are the Texans GM, you know Schaub is coming off an injury, may not be ready to start the season, is injury prone and has never led the team to a winning record in his career, you would be nuts not to sign Manning. If the Texans team had Peyton Manning last season, they would have annihilated the Ravens, the Patriots and the Giants and won the Superbowl.
