NFL teams
Mike Wells, ESPN Staff Writer 6y

Frank Reich giving Andrew Luck his space during rehab

INDIANAPOLIS -- It would be understandable if the new coach of the Colts was looking for near-daily updates on quarterback Andrew Luck.

That’s because Luck hasn’t played in a game in nearly 14 months, and he has practiced and thrown a football only a handful of times since then.

But Frank Reich is taking a different approach in dealing with Luck. He’s not going to badger the quarterback or the Colts' medical staff on a regular basis to see where Luck is with his right-shoulder rehabilitation.

“We all have kids; when your children are getting over an injury or sickness, you don’t go up to them every day asking, ‘How are you doing? How are you doing? How are you doing?’ Who wants that? It almost brings more attention to it,” Reich said. “You know you’re getting better. Just get better, let’s go to work. Let’s trust it and keep doing what we’re doing and talk about football and talk about the team. As we go, it’s more organic. We don’t want it to be mechanical; we want it to be an organic thing. That’s the trust that builds that way.”

Reich has spoken to Luck and said the 28-year-old is in “a good spot because [Luck] knows how to work, he knows the mindset that it takes.” Luck said during a recent interview with Sports Illustrated’s Peter King that the “ship has sailed” in his mind when it comes to possibly having a second surgery on his right shoulder. Luck underwent a first procedure on the shoulder in January 2017. He continues to spend time in Los Angeles working with throwing experts.

The verdict remains out on whether Luck will be ready when the Colts start offseason workouts in April; Reich said he was “hopeful” that would be the case with his quarterback. The Colts have Jacoby Brissett, who became the starter in Week 2 last season, if Luck isn’t ready.

Reich spent the majority of his 14-year NFL playing career as a backup quarterback, and he comes to Indianapolis after coordinating a Philadelphia Eagles offense that used backup quarterback Nick Foles late in the regular season and throughout the playoffs on the way to winning Super Bowl LII.

"I’m hopeful, yeah,” Reich said about Luck. “I know it sounds odd, but I’m not demanding an answer on that. I’m not, ‘Hey, someone tell me, is he ready?’ Here’s the reality: I hope he’s there, but we’ll go on if he’s not. I’m optimistic and I’m hopeful, but honestly that’s not the forefront question on my mind every day coming to work."

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