After the worst season of his career, Peyton Manning is suffering through the worst offseason of his career.

Worse than 2011 when he had neck fusion surgery that would cost him the 2011 season. Worse than 2012 when the Indianapolis Colts released him.

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The Denver Broncos quarterback already was having a pretty bad 2016 when the Denver Post scooped him on his own retirement announcement.

While other media outlets were reporting that Manning had not yet made a decision about his future --- a USA Today Sports report was published at 10:50 p.m. Eastern Time, the Denver Post updated its version at 12:50 a.m. Mountain Time (two hours later), sticking to its story.

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"His Bronc riding days are over; the last rodeo is done," the Post reported.

"Peyton Manning is saying goodbye; it's been lots of fun.

"According to two sources, Manning will acknowledge his decision by the end of this week.

"These sources also say that Peyton, who will turn 40 on March 24, is leaving the Broncos and retiring from the game he has played competitively for 29 years."

A Denver team spokesman responded to the Post article by posting on Twitter that nothing has been made official.

Despite a late 2015 report that told of a link between Manning and HGH, the quarterback had the almost-perfect ending as the Broncos won Super Bowl 50. It was only almost perfect because Manning had the fourth worst passer rating for a Super Bowl-winning quarterback in history.

It was the worst in comparison to that season's league average for passer rating.

But the report of Manning's alleged exposed genitalia while at the University of Tennessee to a former female trainer has disrupted what should have been the most satisfying time of his career --- bouncing back from the neck fusion surgery and finding a second team that helped him get another Super Bowl ring.

It wouldn't make a lot of sense for Manning to return to the Broncos in 2016. It would make less sense for him to go to any other team, so news of his decision to retire is perfectly plausible.

Because the retirement announcement is not official, Manning's career still is on the clock, confirming this offseason as his worst ever.

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