Andrew Luck’s retirement is still one of the most amazing moments in recent NFL history. It was also not an easy process for the man himself.
Five years after the bizarre scene that resulted in an Indianapolis Colts preseason game, the former No. 1 pick reflected on the end of his career during an appearance on “The Dan Patrick Show.” Luck was recently named the general manager of the football program at his alma mater, Stanford, and had plenty to say about his relationship with football.
Specifically, Luck was asked if he thought he was “a football player or a guy who’s really good at playing football.”
Lucka’s answer:
“Having retired from the NFL, and I think I’ve noticed when I talk to other people who are retired, I think no matter what the circumstances are, it’s tough. Whether it’s after college, after a short career or after a long career, a difficult and demanding process.
“There was a period of mourning and a period of mourning because a part of my identity died and that part of me was a footballer, and that was a huge, huge part of me. I was more than just a footballer, of course.” , just like everybody out there … Of course, life goes on and daughters and family and other things start to fill that void, but you have to fill it with something positive.”
Luck’s retirement will always feel unique, and not just because of the timing at age 29. Luck was known as one of the most intelligent and friendly players in the sport, and his decision to give it all up raised some tough questions about the sport. Luck made it quite clear that the decision was about his own happiness.
The Colts have also been widely seen as unsupportive of Luck over the years, a narrative the man himself strongly pushed back on Tuesday:
“I never doubted the support I got from anybody in the Colts building, including how we built things and what we did. I know I played with teammates who were ass-kickers, who were great, who kicked ass. ” They beat me a little early, it was because of how I played, what I did and how I ran.”
Luck was mostly silent in retirement, speaking publicly only when he felt like it, but that changed when Luck took the job at Stanford.
Now back in football, Luck is tasked with running every aspect of Stanford alongside head coach Troy Taylor. In addition to overseeing the football staff, Luck will handle other business aspects of the job, such as fundraising, sponsorships and alumni relations.