Frank Reich fielded several questions during his first press conference as the Colts head coach on Tuesday, including a couple about the status of quarterback Andrew Luck.
Luck missed all of last season with a right shoulder injury and there have been questions about his readiness for the 2018 season. General Manager Chris Ballard downplayed them last week by saying Luck doesn’t need surgery and that he expects the quarterback is “going to prove people wrong.”
Reich said he’s met Luck a couple of times in the past and that his knowledge of the quarterback’s condition is what Ballard said last week. He was then asked by former Colts punter and current Barstool Sports host Pat McAfee what he’ll do to make Luck “magical” again. Reich’s answer veered away from the quarterback, though.
“This is a team game,” Reich said. “As great as he is and I believe he’s the best, but this game, the reason we all love this game…I just came off a team that lost its franchise quarterback and still won a Super Bowl. I know Andrew embraces it. This game is not built on any one player. He is magical. He has special, unique traits and abilities that I respect as much as anybody. I can’t wait to work with him, but if we’re going to win championships ... it’s going to be about bringing out the best in everybody.”
The Eagles weren’t the only team to advance deep into the playoffs without a “franchise quarterback” running their offense and both the Vikings and Jaguars provide further evidence of what can be accomplished by building up the team around whoever is under center. That’s not to say that the Colts won’t be at their best with a healthy Luck, but it does signal a shift from that being the only plan in Indianapolis.