It's official: Andrew Luck's 2017 season is over before it ever got started. The Colts plan to place their franchise QB on injured reserve.
Luck underwent shoulder surgery last January, began training camp on the physically unable to perform list and has spent the first two months of the season watching the Colts bumble their way to a 2-6 record and last place in the AFC South. If you're looking for good news, Luck says he's "very optimistic" about his future.
"I wish I was better and 100 percent this season, but that's not the case," Luck said, via the team's website. "I know I'll be better from this. I know I'll be a better quarterback, teammate, person and player from this, and I'm excited for the future."
Andrew Luck's ongoing shoulder soreness led to him going to IR, GM Chris Ballard said. Will provide as much time as needed to calm down
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) November 2, 2017
The original plan was for Luck to be prepared for the start of the 2017 season. That obviously didn't happen, though there was hope he might be ready before now. In fact, Luck returned to practice in limited capacity in early October, but on Oct. 18 general manager Chris Ballard announced that Luck would be held out of practice after needing a cortisone injection because of lingering soreness to his surgically-repaired right shoulder.
That was the last time Luck practiced.
On Monday, Ballard told 1070 The Fan that Luck had "gone to a couple other doctors just to get some opinions to see where we're at" after the cortisone shots didn't have the desired effect. The team and Luck "wanted to start getting some answers," Ballard explained.
Coach Chuck Pagano reiterated Ballard's remarks: "We're going to exhaust all resources because the best interest is the player," Pagano said on Monday. "It's long-term and we said that. It's for the next 10, 12 years for this guy and for any player. Before we put anybody out there, we're going to make sure he's right so we're going to stick to that process. We want the kid healthy. Nobody is more frustrated than him. He wants to be out there with his teammates badly. It isn't fun for anybody, but it is what it is so we'll just keep plugging away."
The good news is that it doesn't sound like Luck will require more surgery.
No further shoulder prescribed for Luck - extended rehab to get all of the muscles in his shoulder firing in unison again
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) November 2, 2017
The bad news, of course, is that the Colts will be without one of the league's best players for the final two months of the season. That means more Jacoby Brissett, the second-year quarterback acquired just before the season who has started seven times and won twice. For the season, Brissett -- who ranks 26th among all quarterbacks, according to Football Outsiders' metrics -- is completing 60.4 percent of his passes with five touchdowns and four interceptions. A season ago, Luck played in 15 games and had 31 touchdowns against 13 interceptions while completing 64 percent of his throws.
