The football injury gods continue to smite the Indianapolis Colts.
A day after quarterback Carson Wentz underwent foot surgery, star guard Quenton Nelson will join him on the shelf.
Colts coach Frank Reich announced Tuesday that Nelson will undergo foot surgery today and be out 5-to-12 weeks, mirroring Wentz's timeline.
Reich noted that the foot injury for Nelson is similar to the one Wentz suffered. However, the issue for the guard stemmed from something he was born with, while Wentz's issue was related to a previous injury.
"They got there different ways, but essentially the same place," Reich said.
The wide recovery window could keep Nelson out until late October or see him return for the start of the season, depending on how rehab goes.
Tuesday's news is a brutal blow for Colts, arguably even more massive than losing Wentz, given the importance of Nelson in everything Indy wants to do offensively, both running and passing.
"Can't make this up," an exasperated Reich said.
Losing Nelson even for the start of the season would put Indy in a tough spot. Each of the Colts' first five opponents in 2021 won 10-plus games in 2020 -- the .675 combined opponent win percentage in the first five games is the hardest in NFL. It's a tough round to travel, especially if the club is without its three-time All-Pro.
In three seasons, Nelson had never missed a single game in his career.
Nelson's foot injury is the latest blow to the Colts offensive line. Left tackle Eric Fisher began camp on the active/PUP list, and center Ryan Kelly has been out with an elbow injury suffered in training camp.
