Andrew Luck Retires from NFL

The fact is that Luck was much closer to Kirk Cousins than he was to Tom Brady. He continued to have a ton of potential and he was about to break out "next year" but it never actually happened. Put up some solid numbers and was impressive for most of 2018 until that dreadful day against the Chiefs in the playoffs.

I never disliked Luck like I did Manning and if he played for someone other than the Colts I may have actually liked him. But to retire with a QB rating below 90 while playing in this era and having minimal individual playoff success he ends up as the ultimate what if...........

Doctor DDS said:

The fact is that Luck was much closer to Kirk Cousins than he was to Tom Brady. He continued to have a ton of potential and he was about to break out "next year" but it never actually happened. Put up some solid numbers and was impressive for most of 2018 until that dreadful day against the Chiefs in the playoffs.

I never disliked Luck like I did Manning and if he played for someone other than the Colts I may have actually liked him. But to retire with a QB rating below 90 while playing in this era and having minimal individual playoff success he ends up as the ultimate what if...........

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Agree. And we should keep in mind that what makes Brady possible is that most of the other QB's in the league are of this caliber - top 1% QB's who have average-to-good NFL careers. Without them in the middle of the Bell curve, there's no extremes on the curve for Brady to camp out in.

Simpelton said:

I disagree.

Look at what happened to the Colts in 2017 with Brissett under center.

They went from playoff team, to 4-12, to back to the playoffs once Luck finally recovered and could force his way through another season.

Being an elite quarterback isn't always about winning it all. Otherwise Aaron Rodgers wouldn't be consensus elite, and he more or less is. Or Drew Brees for that matter.

Being an elite quarterback is about taking the team as it is and elevating it far above where it would be without you. By that standard Luck passes the eye test as a pretty freaking elite QB

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Brissett never showed anything in NE and was not the very first pick in the draft. Just because Brisset is not a starting caliber NFL QB does not make Luck look better in terms of his accomplishments. Luck is better than Brisset the same as Busch Light is better than Old Milwaukee. One sucks more than the other.

The Colts are not winning a thing with Brisset. They made the playoffs with Luck and thats all.

Mark Madden: Colts fans had every right to boo Andrew Luck | TribLIVE.com

Interesting take on the Luck situation, and I think there is some validity to all of this.

Said Steelers guard David DeCastro, “It’s just sad. People treat us like we’re circus animals.”

Not true. Circus animals don’t make millions, and they sleep in cages with their own excrement.

Luck quitting at 29 because of mental fatigue and various physical maladies is a big story. But the reaction to his departure is more interesting, and an illustration of the disconnect between millionaire players and paying customers.

Those present at Lucas Oil Stadium had every right to express displeasure. They paid to get in. Many purchased season tickets thinking Luck would spearhead a promising Colts team in 2019.

It used to be the customer was always right. Now, the customer can go kick rocks.

The idea of Luck being applauded as he jogs to a news conference to announce he is ruining the Colts’ season on two weeks’ notice is nuts to anyone but an athlete on a pedestal (or a fanboy who kneels at said pedestals).

Those that booed weren’t “bad fans.” They’re just fans.

Big-time athletes are spoiled. They feel they should never know an unpleasant moment.

Luck then did his babyface exit interview. Cue sorrow and hand-wringing from ex-athletes in the media. The word “heartbreaking” has been frequently applied. We were told how much Luck “sacrificed.”

Luck made $122 million during his NFL career

AndyJohnson said:

Umm the colts did not make the playoff the year before or the prior year so they did not in fact go from playoffs to 4-12.

Luck was 10-12 the 2 years prior to Brissett starting. During those 2 years the colts were 6-4 without luck.

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I am buying your facts on this one, Andy. I am also shocked that few seem to blame Luck for his own injuries...openly ramming into defenders and inviting contact, and the shoulder injury strongly rumored to be caused by a snowboarding accident.

A subpar offensive line ruined his career? It’s someone else’s fault? Really? This guy fell way short of expectations. I think the scouting world is embarrassed at how wrong they were in promising a LeBron type chosen one figure, so they’re down to red herrings. This is the QB era. Based on all the draft hype, Luck was essentially supposed to be what Mahomes is...a transcendent talent. He was a solid, pro bowl level QB, and not a superstar. The Rivers comparison is apt.

Ice_Ice_Brady said:

Interesting take on the Luck situation, and I think there is some validity to all of this.

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There is no validity in that take since it works off a wrong premise. The author basically acts like as if the fans are customers of the players. Which is completely wrong. They are customers of the NFL, of the Colts. If they want their money back they should complain to the Colts or the NFL, not boo Luck. Making a lot of money does not mean that one can or should be booed. That's ridiculous. There are a lot of areas where multi-millionaire athletes can be criticised as spoiled (e.g., "I need to feed my family"), but this is not one of them.

Fans have every right to “boo” players. They’re fans. Players have every right to retire. Luck did. It’s done. Get over it.

Ice_Ice_Brady said:

Mark Madden: Colts fans had every right to boo Andrew Luck | TribLIVE.com

Interesting take on the Luck situation, and I think there is some validity to all of this.

Said Steelers guard David DeCastro, “It’s just sad. People treat us like we’re circus animals.”

Not true. Circus animals don’t make millions, and they sleep in cages with their own excrement.

Luck quitting at 29 because of mental fatigue and various physical maladies is a big story. But the reaction to his departure is more interesting, and an illustration of the disconnect between millionaire players and paying customers.

Those present at Lucas Oil Stadium had every right to express displeasure. They paid to get in. Many purchased season tickets thinking Luck would spearhead a promising Colts team in 2019.

It used to be the customer was always right. Now, the customer can go kick rocks.

The idea of Luck being applauded as he jogs to a news conference to announce he is ruining the Colts’ season on two weeks’ notice is nuts to anyone but an athlete on a pedestal (or a fanboy who kneels at said pedestals).

Those that booed weren’t “bad fans.” They’re just fans.

Big-time athletes are spoiled. They feel they should never know an unpleasant moment.

Luck then did his babyface exit interview. Cue sorrow and hand-wringing from ex-athletes in the media. The word “heartbreaking” has been frequently applied. We were told how much Luck “sacrificed.”

Luck made $122 million during his NFL career

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Bad take by Madden laced with a lot of hyperbole and misrepresentation of what Luck was actually experiencing, and how his retirement announcement was botched.

Important update: This is still hilarious.