The Indianapolis Colts were dealt a major blow when they had to face the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thanksgiving Day without Andrew Luck, and the end result was what most expected. Fortunately for Indy, it sounds like Luck will return next weekend.
According to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, Luck would have been able to play against the Steelers if the game was on Sunday and not Thursday. Once the quarterback ended up in the concussion protocol after a win over the Tennessee Titans, he stood virtually no chance of being cleared in time for Thursday. Players typically need at least a week to clear all of the hurdles once entered in the protocol.
The Colts expect Luck to return to practice Monday and be cleared to face the New York Jets in Week 13. While they currently have a record of just 5-6, they’re still very much in the hunt in the AFC South behind the division-leading Houston Texas, who are 6-4.
We know Luck is tough and capable of taking vicious hits like this, but there was simply nothing he could have done to get cleared before Thursday’s game. Fortunately, he suffered no setbacks during the week and has continued to improve.
