ANDREW LUCK SAID injuries took his enjoyment of NFL away after the Indianapolis Colts quarterback announced his shock retirement.
Colts star Luck confirmed his decision to quit the sport on Saturday following reports of the 29-year-old’s imminent announcement emerged on social media.
Luck – a four-time Pro Bowl player – was set to make his retirement official on Sunday, however the former number one pick fronted the media after the Colts’ 27-17 preseason loss to the Chicago Bears.
Following a career ravaged by injuries, Luck – who was dealing with a lower leg/ankle/bone problem throughout the offseason that limited him to just three practice sessions heading into the campaign – told reporters: “I’m going to retire, this is not an easy decision. This is the hardest decision of my life. But it is the right decision for me.”
Luck – who never won a Super Bowl – was the number one pick in the 2012 NFL draft out of Stanford.
He was named the Pro Football Writers Association’s Comeback Player of the Year in 2018 after throwing for 4,593 yards with 39 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. That came one year after he missed the season with a shoulder injury.
The Colts were hoping he would be back for the third preseason game so they could name him the starter, but they were ready to go with backup Jacoby Brissett, who the team acquired from the New England Patriots in 2017 to play in Luck’s absence.
“[The injuries have] taken my joy of this game away. I’ve been stuck in this process. I 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.
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 threw for 23,671 yards with 171 touchdowns and 83 interceptions in his career. He made the playoffs four times with his longest run going to the 2014 AFC Championship game.
He added: “It was an honour to represent the city of Indianapolis on and off the field. So grateful to have been drafted here. Can’t fathom another owner who loves his team as much as Irsay does… This has been an incredible place to make a home and grow. This city will always hold a special place in my heart.”
Luck was sensationally booed by Colts fans as he left the field at Lucas Oil Stadium before speaking to reporters.
On the booing, Luck said: “It hurt… it hurt.”
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Great move for Arnold who’ll be coming out of his 3 year contract with Brive at only 28.
Hopefully he can build up an impressive reputation and shine for a wayward Brive side similarly to Farrell in Grenoble.
The first of many players across the four provinces who will be making this call in the coming months. With the fewer games in the URC and none in international windows game time has got more and more precious. Connacht are well served at centre with Aki, Daly, Farrell, Robb, and Bolton remaining. Other Irish players I could see similarly on their way to pastures new include Gallagher, any one or two of Healy, Crowley, and Flannery and Loughman at Munster and Ed Byrne, Josh Murphy, Penny, and the two O’Brien’s at Leinster.
@David Finn: i wouldnt include Robb here…hes never fit to play. I cant see Connacht holding on to him to be honest
@David Finn: ….you may not have all the names exactly right but your point is well made. Revive the 5th Province Meath, base it in Navan and develope the facilities to match in what is already a very progressive and ambitious club with a proven track record of growing the game to cater for diversity and an impressive record of progress on the field.
@Michael Murray: There is no need for another province what we need in Ireland is a draft system from schools rugby so players go where they are needed most. No use in IRFU shelling out money to keep 8 top class Irish back rows at leinster and then other provinces having to shell out big money for NIQ back rows makes no sense at all. Worst performing province gets first pick of the talent pool each year. We should also move the provincial schools tournament to a national level.
@Punts & Race Discussion: this is an interesting idea, but Leinster can only signup x amount of players each year to academy contracts.
There are still dozens of players who leave school in Leinster who aren’t signed by Leinster but aren’t picked up by other provinces at this early stage.
Also because of the amount of positions, it would take years before a drafts benefits would kick in.
And Leinster only add 4 or 5 players into the academy each year. So that’s 1 round of picks between the 4 provinces. Either way it still means theres talent coming out of schools in Leinster that provinces are ignoring currently.
@Billy Keenan: Leinster sign them to the sub academy so they stay and play their club rugby in Leinster rather than chance a trip to another province
@john joe brady: yeah that’s a good point and there was an article in the indo a few years ago saying something like 20 players were involved in sub academy.
But surely you’d have to say that an Academy contract would outweigh a sub academy one ?
Think Connachts of Illo from the U20s would be an interesting case study. ATightehad (not a position of typical leinster depth with salanoa, angier bent and McGrath leaving recently) who played underage rugby with Leinster. Could be good to dive deeper into what went on there and how he was brought west, a great talent.
@Billy Keenan: and Leinster took on 7 into the academy this year, which in fairness is much more than the 4 I said they did earlier ^^
@Punts & Race Discussion: absolutely no sense in changing Schools comp to national level. For a start you could have Bandon Grammar/PBC/CBC Cork/Newtown Grammar playing up the top of the country. The local rivalries are what drives the Schools Cups, and kids spending hours sitting on coaches to and from games against Schools they have no inbuilt rivalry with will detract from their enjoyment..
Also Connacht, (Garbally apart) doesn’t have schools where Rugby is the main (or only) Sport with male enrollments big enough to compete with other provinces. There are barely a handful of Boys only schools left in the province and fewer against with enrollments near 500 or more…
Anyway the underage Interpro’s pretty do the job pretty well anyway….
@Punts & Race Discussion: so basically force kids to play for teams even if they have no interest in playing for them? Move to a provience where thsy have no connections?
So say a lad from west cork was picked by ulster and said no i dont want to go there do se ban him from playing for his local club?