With reports that Andrew Luck is still in pain two weeks after a cortisone injection and is currently flying around the country seeking further opinions on his surgically repaired shoulder, the question turns from when he will return to if he will return.

From the outside there appears no indication that the current situation is career-ending, but his long-term future is certainly a concern.

He is now well behind the six-to-nine-month recovery timeline for posterior labral repair, which he had in January.

His season is over. We said previously there was already little room for setback. This seems to be the final straw in regard to 2017.


For Luck to play this year, his pain would have to go away within the next month, and then he would need a month of gradually increasing practice time to get ready. That would put him in January. Almost as unlikely as his pain disappearing at this point is that the Colts (2-6) make it to the playoffs.

The key is to find out what is causing the pain.

Being careful is good, but seeking multiple opinions and flying around the country is usually not a positive sign. It means either the diagnosis or source of pain is not clear, that there are multiple conflicting answers or Luck doesn’t like what the first or second doctors have said.

When dad doesn’t let the kid watch TV, he asks mom or grandma or the babysitter. Luck is clearly worried, not getting clear answers or just not getting the answers he wants.


I would not be surprised if arthroscopic surgery is in Luck’s future. That doesn’t necessarily mean something is structurally wrong. It’s simply that arthroscopy is more accurate than any MRI.

At some point, Luck and the Colts will need to find out for sure about 2018.

If multiple specialists can’t agree, then looking inside with a scope can provide the assurance that is needed. And if there is something structurally wrong, the sooner that is discovered and fixed, the better, lest it starts to impact next season.