Speaking from the Competition Committee meetings in Arizona, Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay dropped a bomb on the fans. Robert Mathis might not return to the field until November.

Jim Irsay said Robert Mathis may not be ready to re-emerge until November — Mike Wells (@MikeWellsNFL) March 23, 2015

Mathis was suspended for the first four games of last season due to violating the league’s performance enhancing drug policy. During the suspension, he tore his Achilles tendon while training and missed the entire season.

There were rumors that Mathis had suffered a setback in his recovery late in the season, but the team and his agent denied those rumors.

Irsay later clarified that November would be the worst case scenario.

With Robert Mathis, November is the worst case scenario for him to return from the torn Achilles — Mike Wells (@MikeWellsNFL) March 23, 2015

Both GM Ryan Grigson and coach Chuck Pagano expressed their optimism on Mathis’ return next season during the NFL Scouting Combine press conferences. The Colts brass said that his recovery was on-schedule and believed that he would be back at some point this year, tacitly implying that it would be before the start of the season.

At the same time, the team didn’t offer any kind of timetable for Mathis’ return to the field. Mathis is 34 and its unlikely that the we will ever see the player who led the league with 19.5 sacks back in 2013.

The Colts were banking on Mathis to provide a pass rush last season and had to rely on the emergence of young players and heavy blitzing to get to opposing QBs last season. This year the team has taken steps to add insurance in case Mathis can’t return, specifically by signing Trent Cole.

Regardless of when Mathis returns, the expectation will be low. The Colts might want him to be the Pro Bowl pass rusher he once was, but those days are behind him. If the team gets close to 10 sacks from him, that will be a win next season.