Peyton Manning to miss Pro Bowl

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, who is currently pondering his playing future, will not play in next Sunday's Pro Bowl due to the right thigh injury he suffered in December.

In a statement released and distributed by the team, Manning said he was disappointed to miss the first Pro Bowl he has been selected to when he wasn't playing in the Super Bowl. He has been named to 14 Pro Bowls in his career.

"It's a great honor to be selected to the Pro Bowl, and I've always taken the obligation to play in it very seriously," Manning said. "I've believed that, if healthy, it's a player's responsibility to play in the game because of what it means to be voted in by your peers and the fans.

"I'm disappointed that I'm just not healthy enough this year to be part of it. It's going to be tough not being down there with the other guys, but it hasn't had enough time to heal."

Manning suffered the injury just before halftime of the Broncos' Dec. 14 win against the San Diego Chargers. Manning had suffered flu-like symptoms the night before the game and had four bags of fluids administered by IV in the night before the game and the morning of the game combined.

He has said he believed dehydration contributed to the injury, which he suffered trying to roll out to throw to Emmanuel Sanders.

After missing some practice time the week following the injury, Manning had his first four-interception game of the season against the Cincinnati Bengals and he did not throw for a touchdown pass in the regular-season finale against the Oakland Raiders.

Multiple sources told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter that Manning suffered a torn right quad, an injury that caused severe bruising that spread to the back of his leg.

On Tuesday, Broncos executive vice present of football operations and general manager John Elway said he told Manning in a Monday meeting to take at least a month to decide whether to return for the 2015 season.