49ers at Colts, 1 p.m. Sunday, Fox

INDIANAPOLIS – The internet can be a breeding ground for theories that run the gamut, whether the subject is who killed John F. Kennedy or whether there really is life in other corners of the universe.

And, now, here comes another: Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, if deemed ready to play by doctors and coaches, should sit out the rest of 2017.

No, social media, message boards and reader emails aren’t a fair depiction of fan sentiment. But they’re certainly representative of at least a segment of Colts fans. And they suggest a fair number of people — including Fox Sports’ Colin Cowherd — have embraced this as something the Colts should absolutely do.

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Luck on Wednesday practiced for the first time in 2017 after offseason shoulder surgery and appears to be slowly approaching a point where returning to action will be a consideration. He’s not there yet. And we don’t know when he’ll get there.

But when he does, you can rest assured Luck has every intention of playing and the Colts have every intention of playing him.

When asked Wednesday, in his first interview since late July, whether he is certain he will play in 2017, Luck unflinchingly replied, “Oh, yeah,” as if he were puzzled by why the question would even be asked.

It was an understandable reaction. If you know anything about Luck, you know he is beside himself after having to sit out training camp and, at least, the first five games of the season (he won’t play in Sunday’s Week 5 matchup with the San Francisco 49ers).

There seem to be a couple of motivations behind the sentiment that Luck should sit; both centered around his health. On one hand, there’s a feeling Luck should be allowed to further recover from surgery and not rush back to the field to finish a season that seems to be slipping away. On the other, there are some who believe the Colts’ inferior talent around Luck — the offensive line in particular — might subject him to further injury.

But the minute coach Chuck Pagano and his staff determine that Luck is game-ready, he’s going to play. And it’s the right call.

Why? Here’s a better question: Why not?

There are numerous reasons. For example, there’s the fact fans are paying good money to see the Colts’ best players. They do not spend thousands of dollars on season tickets — or, at minimum, invest themselves emotionally — to watch second-tier players. There’s a reason Jacoby Brissett’s likeness isn’t among those hanging from the exterior of Lucas Oil Stadium. The Colts owe it to their fans to deploy their best players when possible.

There’s also the issue of Luck himself. Don’t think he should play in 2017? OK, how about you try telling him that.

“He’s an extreme competitor,” offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski said Thursday.

“He does a good job tucking away his emotions until he’s actually on the field,” running back Robert Turbin said. “But I think the guys who really know him, we know that he’s been itching to get back out there.”

Pagano and General Manager Chris Ballard would have one steaming franchise quarterback on their hands if they were to inform Luck he would not be playing this season. This is a guy who used to be territorial with one-time backup quarterback Matt Hasselbeck about practice reps in the running-game period of practice. You think he’s willing to contentedly stand on the sideline while healthy? Pfft.

If you’re worried about Luck taking hits due to the offensive line, well, that’s not an unreasonable concern. But here’s the reality: Many of the hits you see Brissett taking right now are the result of his own doing. Like Luck, Brissett has a tendency to hold on to the football too long in the pocket. Brissett does so seemingly because of indecisiveness. Luck does it because he’s aggressive and often is waiting for deeper routes to develop. The offensive line is underperforming, sure, but Luck exacerbates this. That will be true in 2017, 2018 or for as long as Luck continues to show this propensity.

Furthermore, quarterbacks get hit. It’s an inescapable fact in football. Granted, some are hit more than others. And Luck has taken more hits than most. But this is not something that can be eliminated.

Finally, here’s a motivation to play Luck that might be the biggest. Much of this season is about assessing the roster as Ballard tries to rebuild on the fly. And it’s impossible to accurately assess the team without its biggest, most important piece.

That’s Luck.

Notice how T.Y. Hilton has been incognito during Luck’s absence? Do you believe there’s no correlation between Luck’s absence and the Colts ranking 31st in yards per game (265.8) and 25th in points (17.8)? The return of the franchise quarterback changes the complexion of any team — especially the Colts.

“On offense, defense or special teams, he’s the franchise quarterback, man. He’s the leader of our team,” Turbin said. “It uplifts guys when a guy like that comes back. And it’s no disrespect to Scott (Tolzien) or Jacoby. I think those guys are good quarterbacks. I think Jacoby can start (elsewhere), to be honest.

“But Luck obviously (means a lot) in this town and it’ll uplift our entire team.”

What message are you sending to the rest of the team is Luck is held out? That their efforts don’t matter? That the Colts aren’t trying to win?

Those are the wrong messages. And that’s why sidelining Luck is the wrong call.

Luck wants to play. He should play. And, if cleared, he absolutely will play.

Follow IndyStar Colts Insider Stephen Holder on Twitter: @HolderStephen and Facebook.

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