Luck's early-season injuries worse than thought

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck will miss his ninth game of the season when he sits out Sunday's contest against the Titans because of his unhealed lacerated kidney. But now we're learning more about the degree to which Luck was hurt during his first injury-related absence earlier this season.

According to an NFL source, Luck sustained torn cartilage on two of his ribs and was still coping with significant pain after returning to the lineup for four games in late October and early November. The injury likely affected Luck's performance after he returned from a two-game absence that the Colts attributed to a shoulder injury. Luck, according to the source, needed pain-killing injections to play and was quite limited by the injury.

Asked about the revelation this week, Luck declined comment.

The information provided by the source is similar to a report from Fox Sports' Jay Glazer, who said in November that Luck was dealing with fractured ribs and was playing through pain. Luck missed games against the Jaguars and Texans in October before returning to play a Nov. 18 game against the Patriots. The Colts attributed his absence to a shoulder injury but never mentioned his ribs. Luck was present at practice each day and fulfilled his duties.

When initial talk of injured ribs arose, the Colts quickly issued a statement from General Manager Ryan Grigson saying, "Our injury reports are accurate. If people have any questions about player injuries, they should refer to our injury reports." The NFL later said it would look into whether the Colts violated injury-reporting guidelines but has not revealed any findings.

On Friday, the Colts took a stronger position, with team COO Pete Ward saying Luck did suffer a rib cartilage injury but that it was not significant enough to warrant being listed on the injury report.

"It never limited him in any way," Ward wrote in an email. "Remember, he was dealing with a significant shoulder injury at the time."

Luck endured some obvious struggles in the four games he played after returning from the shoulder injury up until Nov. 8, when he sustained the lacerated kidney. He threw a respectable 10 touchdowns in that span, but his five interceptions – including three in an overtime loss to the undefeated Panthers – were costly. The Colts lost the first three games after Luck's return to the lineup, dropping contests against the Patriots, Saints and Panthers before defeating the Broncos. Luck's performance against the Broncos (21-of-36, 252 yards and two touchdowns) was arguably his finest of the season.

Rib injuries can have far-reaching effects on players. Backup quarterback Matt Hasselbeck has sustained several injuries in recent weeks, but he said this week that his rib separation was the most painful, saying, "I don't wish it on anyone."

Both physically and mentally, this season has taken a toll on Luck. He has admitted this season has been the most taxing of his football career, at any level. Sitting on the sideline has been grueling for the fourth-year player.

"Football players want to play football," he said this week. "You want to be out there playing. You feel like you're letting teammates down. You feel like you're letting people down. You watch (Hasselbeck) and Charlie (Whitehurst) battle and fight and be warriors. I watch Frank Gore playing his butt off week in and week out (and) you want to be out there with those guys. When you can't, it stinks."

Associate head coach Rob Chudzinski, who has called offensive plays since Pep Hamilton was fired last month, has leaned on Luck during his current absence from the lineup and has come to appreciate what sitting out must be like for one of the team's most competitive players.

"I can't imagine," Chudzinski said. "You've seen how competitive he is. Having to sit on the sideline and see games and your teammates going through (losses), is tough. It's amazing that he's been here every day. ... But Andrew's been helping out all the way. And he's not just helped the quarterbacks; he's helped me tremendously. From trying to get the verbiage down or, 'Hey, what do we call this? Have we ever run these plays?' Just working through all those kinds of things.

"I believe that Andrew is the type of guy that this experience will make him better in the long run, give him a different perspective, see things from a little bit different angle."

The Colts do not intend to place Luck on injured reserve because of the kidney injury, the thinking being that he could play in the postseason if the Colts somehow overcome nearly impossible odds and qualify.

"What gives me (hope) is my kidney has healed as we've gone on," Luck said. "It hasn't been stagnant. … If we make it, hopefully I can get a clean scan and a go-ahead from the docs and see what happens."

Follow Star reporter Stephen Holder on Twitter: @HolderStephen.