Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck is in Europe seeking treatment on his surgically repaired right shoulder, sources told ESPN's Mike Wells and Chris Mortensen.
The Colts placed Luck on injured reserve Nov. 3, ending his season. The decision came after Luck visited with doctors to ask why he was still having soreness in his right shoulder. It also ended months of speculation about whether the quarterback would play this season after having surgery in January.
Luck practiced Oct. 4 for the first of two times since December. Then he practiced two more times before he was shut down and given a cortisone shot to see if the soreness would subside.
Professional athletes, including Peyton Manning and Kobe Bryant, have traveled to Europe in the past to get non-traditional treatment for injuries. Luck is in the rehab process of trying to get his shoulder balanced.
Colts general manager Chris Ballard, as he has said consistently since April, will not put a timetable on Luck's return. That means there is no guarantee the quarterback will take part in offseason workouts in the spring.
The Colts are working under the impression that Luck will be back in time for next season, but Mortensen tweeted on Nov. 5 that the Colts are "not ignoring" the 2018 quarterback draft class. Jacoby Brissett, who the Colts acquired from New England on Sept. 2, has started the past eight games for Indianapolis (3-6).
Injuries have derailed what was a positive start to Luck's career. The Colts selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in 2012, and he started every game during his first three seasons. The Colts went to the playoffs in each of those seasons, including the AFC Championship Game in 2014.
Luck originally injured his shoulder during the 2015 season in Week 3 at Tennessee. He missed two games due to his shoulder and then missed the final seven games of that season due to a lacerated kidney. Luck missed one game last season with a concussion and all of this season with the shoulder injury.
Despite dealing with the shoulder injury that caused him to miss practice at times last season, Luck threw for 4,240 yards and 31 touchdowns while completing a career-high 63.5 percent of his passes.