DENVER, CO - JANUARY 11: Peyton Manning #18 of the Denver Broncos reacts against the Indianapolis Colts during a 2015 AFC Divisional Playoff game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on January 11, 2015 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Peyton Manning shares frightening injury stemming from nerve damage due to neck injury

It's much worse than we ever thought.

Peyton Manning remains one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, but he hasn't quite been the same since a neck injury kept him out of action for an entire season.

The Denver Broncos quarterback discussed it in depth in a sitdown with MMQB, via Pro Football Talk:

"I can't feel anything in my fingertips," Manning said. "It's crazy. I've talked to a doctor recently who said, Don't count on the feeling coming back.

"It was hard for me for about two years, because one doctor told me I could wake up any morning and it might come back. So you wake up every day thinking, Today's the day! Then it's not."

It appears Manning's issue with gripping the football is much worse than originally understood.

While he continues to deal with this setback, Manning noted it had nothing to do with his late-season fall last year — that was a quad injury stemming from dehydration, per his interview.

If he can stay on track and keep his body right, the Broncos could be set for success.