In one of the most shocking decisions in recent memory, Andrew Luck quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts, has decided to hang up his cleats. This is a franchise changing move as now the Colts are forced to proceed with backup Jacoby Brissett as their starting quarterback. This article is going to breakdown his decision, and what it means for Luck, the Colts, and this years NFL season.
Reaction & Analysis
Andrew Luck: For Luck it seems this decision was excruciating, and very difficult to make. He stated that going through injuries, rehab, and the recovery cycle for the last several years had stripped his joy from the game. Luck has dealt with major injuries throughout his career, and was forced to miss the entire 2017 season with a shoulder injury. He has also currently been dealing with a nagging calf/ankle injury that could have prevented him from playing at the start of the 2019 season. At his initial press conference, it seemed that Luck was overcome with the injuries that so many other NFL players have had to deal with. This isn’t the first career that was put to a hault due to injuries, future injury concerns, or losing passion for the game. Former players like Troy Aikman, Barry Sanders, Joe Theismann, Jim Brown, and so on. The amount of physical toll that NFL players go through is quite extensive. I think we as the fans miss sight on how mentally exhausting it is for these players to recover, rehab, and jump right back into the fire. They make a substantial amount of money to play football, but it is difficult to enjoy these luxuries if you’re constantly dealing with life changing threats to your body. For Andrew Luck, I believe retirement will allow him to finally be at ease, and he can tackle other endeavors. He no longer has to deal with the pressure of leading the Colts, and also protects his body form unnecessary punishment. He will go down as truly one of the greats in the current era he played the game. He was a four time Pro-Bowler, and led the Colts to four playoff victories including one trip to the AFC Championship. He was tasked with being the savior of a franchise after losing their best player of all time in Peyton Manning. Luck is a very smart guy as you could assume with his background at the prestigious Stanford University. He simply made the decision to protect himself from injury instead of playing a game he lost his passion for. If anything you have to admire this decision because not many players would have the backbone to turn down the massive money left on his contract. He is leaving over 64 million in yearly salary on the table with this retirement. As for his life after football, we will have to wait and see what he decides to do. He could always return to football in a different capacity if he desires such as coaching, broadcasting, or starting his own operation. I guarantee that many teams would love to have his offensive mind in the future. Only time will tell on what the future holds, but for now congrats to Luck on a great career and best of luck in the future. Who knows Luck may just need a brief break to renew his football spirit, and could always return to his role down the road.
The Colts/2019 NFL season: Talk about a complete whirlwind for the Indianapolis Colts. This team has gone from being a fringe Super Bowl contender to a team that could likely miss the playoffs. They are losing a multiple time Pro-Bowler who was the clear leader of this dangerous offense. The division rivals of the Colts are not upset by this news, and have to feel much better about their position not only for this year but down the road. For the Colts, obviously the initial plan is to go forward with backup now starter Jacoby Brissett. Brissett was the starter in 2017, and put up 13 touchdowns and 7 interceptions in his first full season as a starter. The bad news was the Colts finished the year with a terrible 4-12 record. However, Brissett has improved in limited action since that season, and at that time was still learning the playbook. 2017 was his first year in Indianapolis after being traded there from the New England Patriots. He now has experience, understands the playbook, and has built a connection with his teammates during practice. He is not near the passer that Luck was, and he doesn’t have the football IQ of Andrew yet. Brissett is a competitor and showed during his college career at North Carolina State that he can lead a football team. Jacoby has a strong arm, good athleticism, and does not have the wear and tear on his body like Luck. He has learned from some of the best offensive minds in football in Frank Reich and Josh McDaniels. I don’t believe he is better than Luck, and he honestly will never be as good in my opinion. For the time being, he can hold over the operations and if he plays well could be their future quarterback. If Brissett struggles, the Colts will have to do what they did after Peyton Manning was injured and eventually left in free agency. They have to commit to scouting, and find their next franchise quarterback through the draft, via trade, or free agency. For Brissett, this year is important because he will be a free agent at seasons end. If he performs well, he could earn a long term deal with Indy, or set himself up for the future with another team. He will certainly have a better chance to earn a solid contract based on his play. As for the 2019 season, I believe this team has fallen behind most of their rivals in the decision with this retirment. I don’t believe Brissett has the tools to lead them to back to back AFC South division crowns. I feel they will take a big step back, and will likely be picking in the top level of the 2020 NFL Draft. This could actually be a good thing because 2020 is expected to be a strong quarterback class. With arms like Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Herbert, Jake Fromm, K.J. Costello, Jacob Eason, and so on. If the wheels come off completely, the Colts can address this need right away in this years draft. I don’t think the Colts will be terrible because they do have playmakers like T.Y. Hilton, Marlon Mack, and one of the best offensive lines in football. Their defense is also very young, athletic, and has the potential to be great if they continue to develop. This retirement is going to sting for a long time, but I believe the Colts are one of the few teams that will avoid breaking down because of this. They have a good core roster, solid head coach, and an owner who lives and breathes Colts football. All we can do is sit back and see what happens in the upcoming season for the Colts.
Final Thoughts:
It’s never easy to see a player retire especially when the individual is a standout performer on and off the field. Andrew Luck was a tremendous player in his short NFL span, and should be regarded as a great NFL quarterback. I hope he finds his passion whether it is with out without football in the near future. For the Colts, this news hits the organization and their fans like a pile of bricks. However, they have constructed their team well, and have the tools to rebound quickly from this shocking decision. At the end of the day, a persons health and spirit always outweighs achievements in a game. I am happy that Andrew Luck has found comfort in deciding to retire, and truly wish him nothing but the best going forward. The NFL is a crazy league, and this decision shows that you never know what’s going to happen next.
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