Colts’ Luck confident after long recovery

INDIANAPOLIS — Andrew Luck said all the right things Monday.

He feels good, hopes to be full go when training camp begins and believes he will be a better overall quarterback when he returns.

All he has to do now is prove it.

For the first time in more than three months, Luck fielded questions from local reporters about his surgically repaired right shoulder and explained his longer-than-expected recovery might have been at least partially the result of his desire to come back too quickly.

“I think I pushed a little too hard at times. Your body, as I’m learning, will tell you no at certain times and you just have to listen to it,” Luck said as the Indianapolis Colts started their offseason work.

“I’ve gone and skipped steps before and paid for it. Been in pain and not able to help the team. Embarrassed, guilty, whatever. I’m not going to do that again.”

Luck didn’t go into specifics about what he would, could or should have done differently after initially hurting the shoulder in September 2015.

He missed the next two games then made four straight starts before suffering a season-ending liver injury in November.

Luck opted against surgery that offseason and instead wound up signing a five-year, $140 million contract extension.

In 2016, he started 15 games and had his best statistical season despite continued pain. But he hasn’t taken a snap since having surgery for a partially torn labrum in January 2017, and he still isn’t throwing regulation-sized footballs. He’s been limited to working only with miniature footballs this offseason.

Still, it’s progress. And it’s a far cry from last October when Luck’s throwing regimen suddenly stopped because of continued shoulder soreness.