Dec 18, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck (12) carries the ball during the first quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Photo Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
Quarterback Andrew Luck will begin training camp on the physically unable to perform list after offseason surgery, but the Indianapolis Colts expect him to be ready for the regular season in September.
Luck enters his sixth season with health concerns after issues with the franchise quarterback’s shoulder lingered since 2015. He underwent surgery for an injury he confirmed originated in September 2015 in a game at Tennessee, about six weeks before he went down with a lacerated kidney in a game with the Denver Broncos.
“We sat down after that year and felt like rehab was the way to go and I think that was the absolute correct decision,” Luck said. ” We did some awesome things and then this year happened obviously and what transpired through this year and sat down after this year and decided that maybe it was time to do surgery on it.”
In January, echoing statements made by owner Jim Irsay, Luck said he did not plan offseason surgery. Irsay would announce via Twitter two weeks later that Luck underwent surgery.
In May, head coach Chuck Pagano offered few details on Luck but described his recovery as positive and said Luck was “doing great.”
General manager Chris Ballard said Monday that Luck is not injured, but focused on building strength in the shoulder.
“We’re exactly where I thought we’d be at this time,” Ballard said.
Irsay defended Luck’s decision and contradicted former GM Ryan Grigson’s statements on the severity of the injury. Per Irsay, Luck was mentally drained by the weekly process of getting ready for each regular-season game because of the treatment and rehab involved in keeping his shoulder game-ready.
“He worked really hard,” Irsay said in the offseason while preaching patience with Luck in his return to the field this summer. “We are not going to be rushing him. “We are going to make sure, obviously, that the shoulder has to be ready and the doctors are going to give full approval before he starts putting real reps on it and that sort of thing.”
Even though Irsay and the Colts were aware of Luck’s shoulder issues, he was signed to a five-year, $122.7 million contract that runs through the 2021 season. He was guaranteed $44 million at signing.
Ballard would not say Luck is a definite for Week 1 of the regular season against the Los Angeles Rams on Sept. 10.
