Andrew Luck hasn't taken a regular-season snap since Jan. 1, 2017. He missed all of last season following shoulder surgery despite indications a summer ago that he would be ready for training camp. Twelve months later and the Colts have insisted that Luck, who hasn't thrown a regulation football since his injury, will be on the field in August for training camp, if not sooner.
Well, sooner came on Tuesday when Luck was spotted throwing a football ... to teammates! ... during practice!
IT’S HAPPENING OMG OMG pic.twitter.com/VyCR6llLRW
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) June 12, 2018
The Indianapolis Star's Zak Keefer reports that Luck was throwing a college football.
There's more video evidence:
And again (itty bitty throw here) pic.twitter.com/RYAVbvD5Wl
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) June 12, 2018
And there's this:
Andrew Luck exits practice. I’d say about 20-25 throws. As deep as 20 yards. He looked at ease.
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) June 12, 2018
Exactly what the Colts (not to mention their fans) wanted to see before minicamp breaks.
Needless to say, Colts fans are emotional at the sight of Luck playing football again.
I almost cried watching this
— Brad (@bkstaxxx) June 12, 2018
— Justin (@DamnitJustin) June 12, 2018
— James (@brinning_) June 12, 2018
I think I need a fainting couch
— #TrustTheBinder (@StP_Colts) June 12, 2018
In preparation for Luck's imminent arrival, the Colts added tight end Eric Ebron, who's a former Lions first-round pick, and former Redskins wide receiver Ryan Grant in the offseason. The team also replaced embattled coach Chuck Pagano with Frank Reich. But any success in Indy will come down to getting Luck healthy and on the field.
And apparently Luck believes he'll be ready to go for the Colts' opener, according to Kevin Bowen of the team's website.
Luck on if he’ll be ready for Week 1: “Absolutely. No knock on wood. I believe it in my bones.”
— Kevin Bowen (@KBowen1070) June 12, 2018
Colts general manager Chris Ballard spoke in March about Luck's importance to the team.
"Is it going to help having [Luck] back in the building? Absolutely it is," Ballard said. "I think it's going to be good for Andrew to be back around his teammates. I think that's what he wants. I think that's what he misses. I think he misses being around the locker room, being around his guys. Like I said a while ago, it's one of the special things about this kid. He likes to be considered as one of the teammates.
"The only other player I've ever been around like that is [Brian] Urlacher. Urlacher, superstar Brian, he was just one of the guys, and he didn't ever want to be treated differently. He knew his status, but he never acted in that way. You never would have known. So, in terms of him being back, yeah, I think it'll be good for the organization, good for the team, good for the locker room and good for Andrew."
