Andrew Luck dealing with a “small little bone” issue per Colts owner Jim Irsay

The Colts burned through a whole lot of good will in 2017 and prior with their handling of Andrew Luck’s shoulder issues. Luck has been guarded in the way he addresses injuries the entirety of his time in the league, and he has been a bit more open about them since his return from his shoulder surgery.

However, with news coming out via owner Jim Irsay that he is dealing with a “small little bone” issue, there are a whole host of questions that are raised.

Given all we’ve heard from Luck and Reich about the nature of his injury, and the fact that it has been consistently been characterized as a “calf strain,” the natural reaction to this bit of information for many will be to view this as 2017 all over again. That is understandable, and given the nature of football being so secretive about things like injuries, it is almost an impossible worry to avoid.

We have been given timelines to expect Luck’s return, and seen those come and go. I watched Luck participate at camp early on, and he looked quite good. Shortly afterward, he experienced a bit of a setback that sent him back a bit into the rehab process. Ultimately we don’t know how significant a setback it was or what that really meant.

The question many want answer to now is, what constitutes a “small little bone” issue and why is this something we are just hearing about now? We already know that Luck has had x-rays done on his leg, because he said so back at the end of July:

“I guess I’ll get a little specific – I’ve had images, X-rays and everything. My Achilles is not an extra risk. There is no tear or swelling or anything that’s indicated. So, it’s a calf-strain and we’re on our feet a lot.”

This would seem to rule out any kind of serious bone issue. There are any number of possibilities, and speculating doesn’t get us any closer to the truth. Most of us are not medical professionals, and even those who are haven’t seen Luck personally to make any kind of real diagnosis.

What is becoming clearer is that until we see Andrew Luck take the field in meaningful football games, questions will continue to linger, and with them, a shadow over the start of this season.