Starting NFL Quarterback And Last Season's Comeback Player Of The Year, Andrew Luck, Retires At The Age Of 29; Indianapolis In Shock!

Shocker from Indianapolis; Andrew Luck announces his retirement from NFL!!!

This is an unprecedented development for one of 2019 Super Bowl hopefuls with most people picking the 'Colts' to come out of AFC South. But it seems now the Colts will be fighting for the number one pick of the draft instead of the Super Bowl after the shock retirement of Quarterback extraordinaire, Andrew Luck.

It was a shocking development for the Colts after Andrew Luck took to the podium following 27-17 loss to the 'Bears' in the preseason and uttered the words retirement. Luck is only 29 years old, and he was going to turn 30 on 12 September, and Andrew explained he talked to Jim Irsay earlier in the day to tell him the decision he was about to make. Jim, the owner of the Colts, was not available for comments and he was not there to support his Quarterback of almost seven years.

Andrew was down with an ankle injury which ruled the player out of the start of the season; the team was not sure what was the problem with a later report suggesting it was a high ankle sprain. Luck took to the stage, and the situation was turned to a news conference where he explained the announcement was not supposed to be until Sunday afternoon, but after the news of his retirement leaked, he needed to get ahead of the thing and make his announcement.

“I'm going to retire, this is not an easy decision,” Luck said on Saturday after the match. “This is the hardest decision of my life. But it is the right decision for me.”

Source: Detroit News

“(The injuries have) taken my joy of this game away. I've been stuck in this process, haven't been able to live the life I want to live. After 2016, I played in pain and was unable to practice; I said I wouldn't go through that again,” Andrew continued. “It's sad, but I also have a lot of clarity in this — difficult process. My wife, family, friends, Chris Ballard, Mr. Irsay, Frank Reich, have been incredibly supportive. Thankful for them.”

Luck suffered a shoulder injury in 2016 which was escalated after he was misdiagnosed and still trotted out on to the field. The damage only got worse in 2017 when Luck floated the talk of retirement and said he was “not having” fun in his game also losing the love for the sport. Still, the player came back in 2018, and it was a major comeback for the star who was the number one pick in the 2012 draft. The replacement of Peyton Manning and the player who was supposed to continue the legacy of one of the greatest Quarterback in the history got off to a great start at Indianapolis with the team making the playoff all of the four seasons Luck was healthy.

Source: USA Today

Last year after the return of the talented player the team got off to a rocky start and Frank Reich and his team rallied behind after a 1-4 start and Luck ended the season with 4593 throwing yards and 39 touchdowns. It was a statement of purpose for the player who was talked about not being the same caliber player for much of the buildup of last season. The grit and passing Luck showed last year was something people looked at and thought this team was on the cusp of the top prize. It now seems not to be, with the QB gone and the team not making any moves in the free-agent market.

Luck ended the press conference by saying, “It was an honor to represent the city of Indianapolis on and off the field. So grateful to have been drafted here. Can't fathom another owner how loves his team as much as (Irsay does) ...”

Watch: Andrew Luck torch the Texans defense

Holding back tears and a broken voice, Luck said, “This has been an incredible place to make a home and grow. This city will always hold a special place in my heart.”

It is a hard thing to see someone at the top of their game after such a momentous season leaving so much talent on the table. Three to five years of the same amount of production and a Super Bowl appearance would’ve gotten him the golden jacket at Canton, but now we are left with the thought of “what could’ve been if he never got injured in 2016.”

Watch: Andrew Luck wins the comeback player of the year of 2018

The NFL is a hard place for players where less than half of the prospects who came in the league were out of a job before four years was even up. It is a place where injuries will derail a Hall of Fame career and cut the greatest players’ careers short. Megatron was the most dominant receiver we ever saw, and a knee injury derailed even his career. His own body beat the one player in the NFL who no one could figure out how to beat. Luck is a talented player, he was great coming out, and he was great last year, but a person’s mental strength and physical strength are tested by the NFL and Luck was not ready to fell the way he felt after his shoulder injury.

Jacoby Brissett was Luck’s backup last season, and he was the man who held the fort down when Luck succumbed to his injuries again in 2017. Jacoby is also a Super Bowl champion with the New England Patriots who are on the other side of the spectrum with a 42-year-old Quarterback, Tom Brady, playing the starting role. Now, all the focus shifts to Jacoby who will need to carry a whole franchise on his back.

Source: The Big Lead

For Andrew Luck, we want nothing but the best, contact sports takes its toll on a person’s body, and we hope he can be happy and enjoy his life again. To the entire Luck family, we want health and prosperity, and maybe one day, Andrew can come back when he is 100% for the last hurrah. We all love Andrew, and we want nothing but the best for the entire Luck family.