As if there weren’t enough skepticism surrounding Colts’ quarterback Peyton Manning, actor Rob Lowe tweeted late Wednesday evening that the great No. 18 had decided to hang up his jersey for good after missing all of the 2011 season with a neck injury. Of course, this sent Twitter and #ColtsNation into a frenzy that left millions of twits looking for answers. In this special edition of #HorseBytes, I’ll take you through the madness that was the “tweet heard `round the Horseshoe.”

So here’s the infamous tweet: straight to the point and straight through Colts’ fans hearts. Needless to say, chaos ensued. Apparently unaware of the mass feedback he would receive, Lowe sent out a second tweet meant to calm the concerned.

So, Lowe traced back a couple steps, putting a twist on his initial “report” and labeling it instead as a rumor. But Twitterverse still wanted answers, and ESPN Senior NFL Analyst Chris Mortensen was the first to cite evidence that Lowe was reporting false information. His source? Archie Manning, Peyton’s dad.


Jason La Canfora, another NFL reporter, also spoke to a credible Manning source who refuted the report: Peyton’s agent, Tom Condon.

Lastly, Colts owner Jim Irsay set the record straight.

Hallelujah! The day is saved. But why would Lowe tweet something that wasn’t true? Jacob Tamme had an idea.

Rob Lowe is part of the main cast of the NBC television show, “Parks and Recreation.” The show is rumored not to be doing well. Was Lowe’s tweet really just an underhanded way to draw attention to himself and his show?

Maybe. Lowe also could have tweeted to draw attention to his newly released book. Just a day after his Manning tweet, Lowe had this great news to share:

Oh, and did I happen to mention that Lowe had a scheduled appearance on the Ellen Degeneres show the very morning after his Manning tweet?!

As you can see, the odds definitely aren’t stacked in Lowe’s favor on this one. For now, Peyton Manning is safe and sound in Colts uniform. Looks like this report is a phony. Case closed.

Thanks, Mr. Irsay.

Until next week, #ColtsNation! Don’t forget, for more Colts commentary, retweets, and Naptown’s Finest postings, you can follow me on Twitter @catierae08.