Aug 17, 2019; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck (12) walks the field before the game against the Cleveland Browns at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
The Indianapolis Colts have been looking for a franchise quarterback ever since Andrew Luck shocked the NFL world by retiring, stepping away from the game in his prime. While the team now hopes the Carson Wentz trade solves their woes for years to come, they have clung to the hope that Luck might return.
Aug. 24, 2019, is a day that will be remembered by the football world. Following a preseason game, Luck stunningly decided to hang up his cleats and ended his NFL career as a 29-year-old quarterback.
It’s a decision that changed the Colts for years. They turned to Jacoby Brissett as the starter in 2019, but weren’t satisfied with the results. Philip Rivers fared better this past season, but it wasn’t enough and he retired to become a high school football coach.
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The front office launched a new quarterback search this spring, scouting the 2021 NFL Draft prospects and evaluating the talent available via free agency and the trade market. As all of this went on, Indianapolis seemingly made one last effort to see if Luck would unretire.
According to NBC Sports’ Peter King, the Colts talked to Luck before moving forward with the trade for Wentz. While specifics of the call weren’t disclosed, Luck left the team with the impression that he will not be playing football again.
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It’s certainly not surprising. While Luck hasn’t really been heard from publicly since he stepped away from the game, former teammates and coaches remain in close contact with him. Tony Dungy said in 2020 that Luck will stay retired
While Luck was in his prime entering the 2019 season, injuries took a toll on him. He only missed 10 games in six seasons, but he played behind one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL. From 2012-’17, he was sacked 156 times. Things improved in 2018, with only 18 sacks, but the damage had already been done.
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A four-time Pro Bowl selection, Luck was seemingly poised to take the next step as an elite quarterback before he retired. After years of taking hits, he decided to walk away. Just a few months after leaving football, Luck and his wife welcomed their first child in November 2019.
The Indianapolis Colts will enter the 2021 season with Wentz as their starter. If he can return to the MVP-caliber level he played at under Frank Reich, the Colts will have their franchise quarterback. If it’s proven the 2020 season wasn’t a fluke, a new quarterback search will begin.