Four years ago Andrew Luck shocked the football world by announcing his retirement at age 29.. Very few could understand how such an elite quarterback who was just entering his prime could walk away.
Luck explained at the time: “I’ve been stuck in this process. I haven’t been able to live the life I want to live. It’s taken the joy out of this game. The only way forward for me is to remove myself from football. This is not an easy decision. It’s the hardest decision of my life. But it is the right decision for me.”
Unfortunately injuries took a massive toll not just on his body but his spirit and passion.. And just like that, his football career shockingly ended.
It may seem like a long time ago at this point, but the fact remains that Luck is still just 33-years-old – 12 years younger than the recently-retired Tom Brady and 6 years younger than Aaron Rodgers who doesn’t seem to be nearing the finish line anytime soon.
It’s completely reasonable for any team to wonder if Luck would ever be intrigued at making a return to football.. Maybe the time away from the game has allowed his body to heal and re-sparked his competitive fire.
Well, that’s exactly what the Washington Commanders were wondering when they reached out to Luck last year to see if he’d be interested in coming out of retirement to be their quarterback.. What a sight that would have been for a franchise starving for success and relevancy.
As it turns out however, things aren’t as simple as they sound.. As soon as the report of what Washington had done came out on Saturday, Colts Owner Jim Irsay took to twitter to remind everyone that contacting Luck would be a “clear violation” of the league’s tampering rules.
“If any NFL Team attempted to contact Andrew Luck (or any associate of him)… to play for their Franchise – it would be a clear Violation of the League’s Tampering Policy,” Irsay tweeted.
Apparently Irsay is so annoyed about what Washington did that the Colts are “seeking to learn more about what exactly transpired and whether any tampering occurred,” according to ESPN.
Tampering happens in every sport, but Luck’s situation is a unique one.. And tampering is on the top of everyone’s minds fresh off the Jonathan Gannon situation in Arizona – not to mention the Miami Dolphins tampering punishment for their sketchy pursuit of Tom Brady.
When Luck retired in 2019, he still had three years left on his contract with the Colts – meaning if he ever returns to the NFL, his contract would be reinstated and Indianapolis would own his rights for three more years.
For what it’s worth, Luck doesn’t seem to be itching for a comeback.. He recently spoke to ESPN at great length about how content and satisfied he is with his post-football life as a family man.
However, if Luck ever changes his mind and wants to return to football – any interested team better speak to Irsay and the Colts first.
For now, Irsay (and the NFL) wants to see what funny business may have occurred in Washington.. We’ll soon find out if this story has legs.