Andrew Luck, the franchise quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts besieged by a series of injuries in recent years, abruptly retired from the NFL on Saturday.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter broke the news Saturday night, reporting that Luck had informed the Colts he would retire from professional football.
Filed to ESPN: Andrew Luck has informed the Colts he is retiring from the NFL, per source. There will be a press conference Sunday to make it official, but Luck is mentally worn down, and now checking out.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 25, 2019
The report that Luck is “mentally worn” makes sense given the series of injuries Luck had over recent years, as well as the mystery surrounding his status with the Colts. Most recently, a lingering leg injury put his status for Week 1 up in the air after the location of the injury seemed to change throughout the offseason and preseason. Ian Rapoport added some context, saying that Luck was “worn down” after years of dealing with various bumps and bruises.
After battling injury after injury, the word is that #Colts QB Andrew Luck was simply too worn down to continue. And so he abruptly retires at age 29. Jacoby Brissett is the new QB of the Colts.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 25, 2019
According to Schefter, Luck had already informed Colts ownership of his decision.
Andrew Luck already has met with Colts’ owner Jim Irsay to tell him that he is retiring, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 25, 2019
Luck was drafted first overall out of Stanford by the Colts in 2012, a can’t-miss pick that allowed the Colts to trade Peyton Manning, who had undergone a serious neck surgery the season before. Luck made the Pro Bowl four times, including his first three seasons under center and again in 2018.
Luck had not played in the preseason in 2019, as Jacoby Brissett had handled starting duties. According to Schefter, he is officially the starting quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts.
Jacoby Brissett is Indianapolis’ new starting quarterback.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 25, 2019
The shocking move sent ripples around the NFL on a night where the start of college football took center stage.
The #Colts have known that QB Andrew Luck was seriously mulling retiring for at least two weeks. He’s married, he plans to travel the world, and once the love for the game waned, it sounds like he wanted to step away. So, he did.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 25, 2019
Luck, a star in college and in the NFL, retired after a pro career that lasted just six seasons.
