Colts quarterback Andrew Luck's 2017 season ended before it began, with the quarterback ultimately being shut down and placed on injured reserve before ever taking a snap thanks to offseason shoulder surgery that featured multiple setbacks. The Colts mishandled the whole situation and wasted his athletic prime and Luck might not be entirely out of the woods yet.

According to Chris Mortensen of ESPN, Luck is scheduled to return from Europe, where he's been rehabbing his shoulder for several months, and at that point he could face another surgery.

First up will be "a throwing regimen" for Luck when he gets back from his trip overseas. This is the same throwing regimen that, according to Mortensen, "resulted in a setback with pain and discomfort." 

If Luck experiences additional pain during this next step, there would then be "an urgent discussion will occur for Luck to undergo a corrective surgery that involves relocating the biceps tendon that is attached to the repaired labrum," according to Mortensen. 

That is extremely concerning. 

As Mortensen noted during his update on ESPN Sunday morning, this would be considered a "routine" surgery but nothing about Luck's situation can be considered routine. The No. 1 overall pick, taken by the Colts in 2012 to replace Peyton Manning, suffered his shoulder injury in 2015. The Colts did not have him undergo shoulder surgery until after the 2016 season ended. 

Luck took a while to get back to throwing and then suffered a setback because of pain while throwing leading up to his return, which was scheduled to happen around Week 6. (Owner Jim Irsay, who's been squirrelly as all get out when it comes to this injury, originally suggested Luck would simply miss a game or two.) 

Currently the plan is for Luck to return from Europe and to proceed with his rehabilitation. If all goes well and he suffers no setbacks, the Colts quarterback could be on track to return for the offseason program. 

If things go south and he experiences more pain, Mortensen reports there is a chance that this additional surgery, if needed, would require a recovery period in the range of three to six months. 

That could potentially push Luck's recovery as far back as June, which would eliminate most of his offseason program and potentially put his preseason at risk as well.

Hopefully this is not a thing that becomes a bigger thing, because the NFL needs more Andrew Luck. When healthy he is one of the best young quarterbacks in the game. But at this stage of his career, any additional surgeries and setbacks are concerning for both his short and long term prognosis.