Andrew Luck’s big secret is finally out. He’s been throwing a football for weeks – and now he’s throwing in public
Anthony Averett Jersey , too.
Nearly 17 months after undergoing surgery on his injured right shoulder, Luck jogged onto the practice field Tuesday wearing a red jersey, strapping on a helmet and picking up a special ball as he started throwing in front of reporters for the first time since October.
No, it wasn’t a regulation NFL ball and the longest pass he attempted was only about a 20-yard lob, but it still was progress.
”It’s a lighter football,” Luck said, referring to the striped football he tossed around. ”It’s sort of a bridge. I’ve thrown a real football, `The Duke,’ whatever you want to call it. I’ve picked it up and I’ve thrown it and it felt great. And honestly, there was a little mental block to doing it and I had to do it sort of by myself.”
Throughout the process, the Colts have been tight-lipped about Luck’s progression.
Just last week, coach Frank Reich acknowledged Luck was ”real close” to throwing.
He even played ”toss” with Luck three weeks ago, the first and only time he has thrown ”The Duke
Danny Etling Jersey ,” the standard NFL ball. Luck then swore him to secrecy, and Reich obliged the team’s biggest star.
”Sorry, I confess. It really was hard for me to say that,” Reich said of the continual denials about Luck throwing a football. ”It really wasn’t a workout. That was how I justified it in my mind.”
The wait for Luck’s expected return from a partially torn labrum, which kept him out all of last season, has been as agonizing for Luck as it has been for Colts’ fans.
Just two weeks after he started throwing in October, the Colts shut down Luck because of what he described as lingering soreness. He changed the description Tuesday, saying the soreness was actually real pain.
Luck spent a couple of weeks seeking second opinions before heading to Europe where he continued working out until late December. He returned to the team complex just before the regular-season finale and presumably had spent the past six months ramping up to start throwing between the end of minicamp and the start of training camp in late July.
Just last week, Reich said Luck was ”real close” to throwing.
Clearly, though, the second round of rehab has gone far better than the first.
”I had pain last year and then I wasn’t being honest to myself about it,” Luck said. ”I was trying to get through pain, per se. There’s none of that right now. My arm feels normal (now). Doing things feels normal.”
Reich said the plan is for Luck to steadily ramp up his throwing so he can throw four times per week at camp to mimic a regular-season schedule. Even preseason appearances could be possible.
Reich and team owner Jim Irsay believe Luck will make his first start in almost 21 months when the Cincinnati Bengals come to town Sept. 9.
Luck agrees.
”I really think there are not hurdles
Eddie Yarbrough Jersey , it’s just us protecting him,” Irsay said. ”I think we’ll go through the progression of the preseason and he’ll be ready to go against the Bengals.”
Skeptics note all of this has been said before.
Last August, Irsay was still saying he expected Luck to come back during the first month of the season. Instead, Luck never took a snap.
But Luck and the Colts insist this time is different, and not just because Luck is throwing earlier in the process than last season.
”I can just tell you he has looked really good in his sessions. There have been enough sessions that I have seen – with whatever kind of ball it is – it’s looked good,” said Reich, a former NFL quarterback who had similar surgery after his 14-year pro career ended. ”There have been some throws where I would say letting it all out rip.”
Luck was cautious and played it close to the vest with the nearly two dozen throws he made Tuesday.
That’s also part of the plan, and one Luck believes will get his career back on track.
”I just believe I’m on the right path. I believe I’m going to be absolutely – I believe I’m going to be better than I was. I really, really do,” he said. ”I believe I’ll be a better quarterback for this team, a better teammate.”
—
The New York Jets are calling an audible and turning to a familiar face as their backup plan at quarterback.
Josh McCown agreed Tuesday on a one-year deal to return to the Jets, agent Mike McCartney announced on Twitter.
The Jets were believed to be one of the primary potential suitors for free-agent prize Kirk Cousins, but the former Washington quarterback is visiting Minnesota on Wednesday.
With the possibility looming that Cousins could sign with the Vikings before ever meeting with the Jets
LaAdrian Waddle Jersey , New York instead is bringing back its 38-year-old starter who had a career season last year. McCown set individual highs with 2,926 yards passing and 18 touchdowns, and quickly established himself as a respected leader in the locker room.
A person with direct knowledge of McCown’s contract told The Associated Press the one-year deal, which will be signed when the NFL’s free-agent period begins Wednesday, is worth $10 million. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team had not announced it.
McCown also tweeted a picture of himself – without any words – in a Jets uniform pumping both fists during a game.
His future with the Jets – and in the NFL – was uncertain after he broke his left hand at Denver on Dec. 10 and finished the season on injured reserve. After the season, he said he wanted to continue playing, but the Jets emerged as possible contenders in the sweepstakes for Cousins.
”I enjoyed my season there this year,” McCown said during an interview with NFL Network in January. ”More than anything, just the people in the organization. It’s a special place from the ownership down. I enjoyed my time with coach (Todd) Bowles. A lot of decisions have to be made within the next few months, but I loved being there, and we’ll see how it plays out.”
With McCown coming back, the Jets aren’t necessarily set now at the quarterback position – although Bowles traditionally opens the offseason program with the incumbent penciled in at No. 1 on the depth chart.
New York is discussing adding Teddy Bridgewater, a free agent after not being brought back by the Vikings. ESPN and NFL Network reported the Jets and Bridgewater agreed to terms on a one-year deal.
The 2014 first-round pick threw just two passes – including an interception – last season in his return from a serious knee injury in August 2016. He was a Pro Bowl selection after his second season and was largely considered a rising star at his position before the injury.
The Jets could also potentially draft a quarterback with the No. 6 overall pick in April. They have Bryce Petty
Adam Butler Jersey , a fourth-rounder three years ago, and Christian Hackenberg, a second-rounder in 2016, on the roster, along with undrafted free agent Joel Stave. But having McCown and possibly Bridgewater could buy time for a top draft pick and create an intriguing training camp competition.
New York will have a bit of a new look on offense this season, too, with coordinator John Morton fired and replaced by quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates. Running back Matt Forte also recently announced his retirement. ESPN also first reported Tuesday that the Jets and former Browns running back Isaiah Crowell were in contract discussions. Crowell would serve as a complement to veteran Bilal Powell and second-year back Elijah McGuire.
Meanwhile, tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins and offensive linemen Wesley Johnson, Dakota Dozier, Ben Ijalana and Jonotthan Harrison are all scheduled to be free agents.
The Jets also appeared poised to make a big splash on defense, with multiple reports saying Tuesday night that New York was close to signing both former Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson and former Titans linebacker Avery Williamson.
—
Authentic Womens Taron Johnson Jersey 