Colts may be in trouble for hiding Andrew Luck’s fractured ribs

Reports of a rib injury for Luck aren’t completely new and in mid-October there were “strong rumors” that the quarterback was dealing with rib problems in addition to a shoulder injury, according to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. On Sunday morning, Jay Glazer of FOX Sports reported that Luck has been dealing with multiple fractured ribs since Week 3, the same week that he suffered a shoulder problem that caused him to miss two games.

In injury reports, the Colts listed Luck’s shoulder as the reason for his absence and limited work in practice, but never mentioned a rib injury. According to the NFL’s Personnel Report Policy, the shoulder injury for Luck isn’t a valid excuse for the team’s omission of a rib injury:

All players with significant or noteworthy injuries must be listed on the report, even if the player takes all the reps in practice, and even if the team is certain that he will play in the upcoming game.

Pro Football Talk contacted the league office which said it “will look into” the Colts’ handling of disclosing Luck’s injuries, while Indianapolis general manager Ryan Grigson told Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports that the team’s “injury reports are accurate.“

Penalties for not disclosing an injury can include fines or the loss of draft picks.

Luck has since returned from injury, but has struggled for the Colts in 2015. The team is 1-4 in games with Luck as the starter and he has 11 touchdowns with nine interceptions. His 76.3 passer rating is the lowest of his career and his up-and-down play even drew boos from Colts fans in Week 7.