In a move that comes as a shock to the football world, and Colts fans in particular, quarterback Andrew Luck announced his retirement during a 25-minute interview after preseason game 3 Saturday night.
Luck was the no. 1 overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft and had big shoes to fill as he was picked to replace Peyton Manning. His promising career got off to a great start as he led the Colts back to the playoffs in his first 3 NFL seasons, including an appearance in the AFC Championship game in 2014.
Luck’s career took a bad turn when he suffered an unlucky injury at the beginning of the 2015 season. Kidney, rib, and shoulder injuries caused him to miss parts of the next season and the entire 2017 season.
He had a great turnaround year last year in which he threw for 39 touchdowns and 4,593 yards, winning the Comeback Player of the Year award and leading the Colts back to the playoffs for the first time since 2014. He proved how valuable he was to the team and Indianapolis thought they had their star quarterback for many years to come.
Another injury this year, this time a calf strain, limited his practice ability and caused him to sit out most of training camp because of pain and immobility. In his announcement, Luck said that injuries have taken away his love of the game, and in the constant cycle of rehab and pain, it was too hard for him to continue.
This comes as a big hit to the Colts playoff hopes this season and beyond, as Luck was the centerpiece of their offense. They now have 2 weeks to get their team ready for the start of the season and will turn to 26-year-old Jacoby Brissett to lead them at the quarterback position.
