AP

After dealing with shoulder problems and rehab problems for two years, Andrew Luck is in a good place now.

But the Colts quarterback admitted to NBC’s Peter King in Football Morning in America that he had to hit “rock bottom” at more levels than physical before he could rebound.

Luck said the lengthy recovery from his shoulder surgery was difficult in many ways, including the way it forced him to accept the possibility of failure and admit vulnerability, something he wasn’t programmed to accept.

“Learning to ask for help, for me, was a big, big step,” Luck said. “It’s okay to show a little vulnerability. It’s okay to not be buttoned up every single moment of the day. It’s okay for life not to be perfect. Why does it have to be so, . . . I think we tend to make things binary: win or loss, black or white. I did hit a quote unquote rock bottom. I think that was necessary for me because it forced me to share my vulnerabilities, to show what I was actually feeling with the people closest to me, especially my girlfriend. That allowed me to ask for help and allowed me to get help from people. And learn how to be patient with myself.”

He said he didn’t handle elements of his recovery the way he’d have preferred, but that going through the process of falling short of expectations and continuing was a healthy one for him at a personal level.

“It was a heavy time, and you learn from times like that,” he said. “There were a couple times I said, I don’t know if I’m ever going be able to play football again, or at least have any joy playing this game. Is it worth it? Am I going to be in constant pain?

“I learned you have to be honest to yourself: Are you getting better or are you not? And it’s okay if you’re not, as long as you’re looking at it objectively. I learned to be thankful for everybody who’s helped me to this point and will continue to within the Colts organization, starting with [General Manager] Chris Ballard. He’s a good man. He’s got a vision and I believe in it and we believe in it. And then to the folks inside my family, and my girlfriend. I could’ve very easily pushed some relationships away. … I tried my best to push some people away that I needed in my life. I’m so thankful for their patience and understanding, I guess.”

Luck’s newfound focus on process will help him deal with getting back on the field this year, as the Colts are still the rebuilding mode that was so evident without him last year. And even if never got back to being the kind of quarterback he was, it’s easy to sense that the time away from the game helped Luck at a more important level.