It turns out Andrew Luck was not ready to practice.

Colts HC Chuck Pagano: Andrew Luck will not practice this week. Still a week away on throwing progressing. Hopefully integrating him next wk — Mike Chappell (@mchappell51) September 27, 2017

With another week on the sideline – or at least not doing football activity – the chances of him playing before late October continue to diminish.

Reports last week were that Luck was expected to return to practice this week for the first time since his January labrum repair surgery. The team reportedly hoped he could be ready to start in 2-3 weeks.


That was always a tight timeline. There is no upside in rushing the franchise QB and risking setback.

Setback can always happen. See Cam Newton, who also had off-season shoulder surgery – one that was far more minor than Luck’s –still took time this preseason to acclimate and was even shut down for more than a week during training camp.

There is no question Luck has thrown already as part of his rehabilitation. However, Throwing in therapy is more a static activity while actually playing quarterback is a dynamic one.

A QB has to drop back, get his feet right, feel and evade pressure, work through route adjustments and more. In rehab, he plans a throw and makes the throw. In games, you plan for several throws and choose one while adjusting on the fly.


Pitching is recognized as the hardest thing we have our shoulder do, but that is from a defined position. The mound and the plate don’t move and the batter does not rush the pitcher.

Throwing as a quarterback is dynamic. That is what needs to be mimicked in full practice.

Let’s say Luck practices but is limited next week, practices fully the following week working with the scout team and then participates full in practice as the starter in the third week. That is the fastest timeline with no setbacks, and that is only one week with the first team to get ready.

The clock on Luck’s playing in a game won’t even start until he practices. That is why I have expected Luck to play four weeks after he first practices – because it is rare that things go exactly as expected.


By not placing Luck on the regular season PUP list, the Colts were not saying that he would play before the end of week 6, they were simply calculating that Luck would be able to practice prior to the start of week 7. That is still expected to happen.

Meanwhile, at this rate, Colts fans should expect to see Luck on the field in November.