Andrew Luck talks about why he walked away

[NewColtsFan]

56 minutes ago, OLD FAN MAN said:

did not say the year, you assumed that!!! luck missed the entire 2017 season ballard should have had a backup plan and drafted a qb in 2018. who knew if luck would recover after missing a full season.

This is not the first time you’ve said this.   No one backed you the first time, I’d be surprised if anyone would back you this time. 

[OLD FAN MAN]

1 minute ago, NewColtsFan said:

This is not the first time you’ve said this.   No one backed you the first time, I’d be surprised if anyone would back you this time. 

I dont need anyone to back me , maybe you need backing on your posts, some posters dont need backers they are stronger than that. only the weak need backers.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

8 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

This is not the first time you’ve said this.   No one backed you the first time, I’d be surprised if anyone would back you this time. 

I actually kind of agree with it. There were all kinds of signs. Even Reich admitted in this story there were signs. A lot of franchises would of moved on.

Just now, OLD FAN MAN said:

I dont need anyone to back me , maybe you need backing on your posts, some posters dont need backers they are stronger than that. only the weak need backers.

I will back you. A lot of franchises would of moved on with having that high of a pick.

[Stephen]

What Luck did was extremely tough. IF an ordinary good employee quits their job suddenly they might be criticised by a few people, but when millions of fans and haters rely on you for entertainment that causes alot more criticism. In life you have to do whats best for you and your family even if it means leaving everything behind.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

25 minutes ago, coming on strong said:

i know i saw  the article already but thanks  . i just think its a bad business model its not same thing as a news paper because there are already free articles every where .   people are just going to go to publishers that post free articles any way . and its way to easy to just bypass the pay wall .

I have seen a lot of media guys says they do this because they otherwise would have to use click bate. One way to get around it maybe is offer the article free with ads. Then maybe offer a premium pay subscription with no ads. Maybe that could satisfy both sides.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

5 minutes ago, OLD FAN MAN said:

I dont need anyone to back me , maybe you need backing on your posts, some posters dont need backers they are stronger than that. only the weak need backers.

Another option was to draft a rookie that high. If luck gets healthy and no signs of retiring he could of been traded in a year or two and the rookie would be ready. Or you keep luck and trade the rookie. I just don’t know when the rookie pay scale started and I’d that was possible. If this happened today it could be done because of rookie pay scale.

[coming on strong]

2 minutes ago, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

I have seen a lot of media guys says they do this because they otherwise would have to use click bate. One way to get around it maybe is offer the article free with ads. Then maybe offer a premium pay subscription with no ads. Maybe that could satisfy both sides.

that is the best idea .   most middle class people are not rolling in money so paying  5 or 10 bucks a month to read articles is not a high on many peoples lists .

[OLD FAN MAN]

3 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:

I think this is a huge oversimplification.  The ankle injury put his life into question.  Without the ankle injury Luck would’ve played in 2019.   So the injury was THE important factor.

how do you know he would have played in 2019? source??

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

Just now, coming on strong said:

that is the best idea .   most middle class people are not rolling in money so paying  5 or 10 bucks a month to read articles is not a high on many peoples lists .

I have the Athletic but that’s the only one I have.  I love their articles. But I am not paying for the Indystar. Or any of the local media.  There are actually a lot of services that are free but do offer a premium subscription. 

[DougDew]

1 hour ago, Fluke_33 said:

I was impressed that you put that together without reading it.

 

Also, considering the type of guy he is, can you imagine what it must have been like to try to fill peyton's shoes.   PM ran that show completely.

Yep, one who probably loved the role of putting a team on his back, putting 60,000 fans on his back, and more fans at home on his back and carrying them across the finish line to share in a trophy...or fail trying.  Sounds like Peyton.  Doesn't sound like Andrew.  He would probably feel guilty if he failed.  Not disappointed for himself, but guilty that he let so many others down.  A huge burden for a person who has a big conscience.

 

Notice that the word "football" is nowhere in that thought.

 

If Luck said, "I'm going train to try to represent my country in the Tour De France", or "I wish I was good enough to try out for the Olympic Ski Team", then I would have a different opinion.

[NewColtsFan]

17 minutes ago, OLD FAN MAN said:

how do you know he would have played in 2019? source??

Because without the injury, there was no more pain.   With no more pain, there was no reason to retire.  Luck loved his 2018 season.  
 

At Lucks retirement he said he could no longer stand the never ending cycle of pain.  4 straight years.   So if there was no more pain, he would’ve played.   There would be no reason to retire.
 

2+2=4.

 

[cdgacoltsfan]

3 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

Because without the injury, there was no more pain.   With no more pain, there was no reason to retire.  Luck loved his 2018 season.  
 

At Lucks retirement he said he could no longer stand the never ending cycle of pain.  4 straight years.   So if there was no more pain, he would’ve played.   There would be no reason to retire.
 

2+2=4.

 

His heart just wasn't into it. The main problem though was between his ears. Oh well, his decision affected people's livelihoods...Reich.. and soon Ballards.

[DougDew]

38 minutes ago, OLD FAN MAN said:

I dont need anyone to back me , maybe you need backing on your posts, some posters dont need backers they are stronger than that. only the weak need backers.

nevermind

[RollerColt]

8 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

Because without the injury, there was no more pain.   With no more pain, there was no reason to retire.  Luck loved his 2018 season.  
 

At Lucks retirement he said he could no longer stand the never ending cycle of pain.  4 straight years.   So if there was no more pain, he would’ve played.   There would be no reason to retire.
 

2+2=4.

 

I agree with you on the pain aspect. Pain is the reason he retired early. His personality was what allowed him to make that difficult decision. 
 

One thing I think he will need to learn if he does become a teacher, is to not look at his job and career as who he is. It took me awhile to figure that out. I’m more than just a teacher. It’s what I do, but it’s not everything that I am. 

[DougDew]

38 minutes ago, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

I actually kind of agree with it. There were all kinds of signs. Even Reich admitted in this story there were signs. A lot of franchises would of moved on.

I'm sure that astute people who have been around football players their entire lives...scouts, GMs, coaches, etc. see different personalities and can't help but sorting certain similarities into different buckets.   They have seen passion and not so much.  They see greed and not so much...etc.   Decades of interaction with players on a daily basis and they can probably spot differences very quickly.  They may know if someone has football in their hearts better than the young person playing football knows it.

 

Moving on is a different topic.   

[DougDew]

3 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:

Irsay was wrong.    It WASN'T all between his ears.   Luck was in constant relentless pain.  

He went to Europe to rehab after already spending a lot of time rehabbing for months post-surgery.  At the time, the word was that the rehab was going slow so he went to Europe to seek out different doctors.

 

So has there ever been any clarity on why it took nearly two years to rehab a surgery that, going in, the doctors said should take about a year?

[RollerColt]

1 minute ago, DougDew said:

He went to Europe to rehab after already spending a lot of time rehabbing for months post-surgery.  At the time, the word was that the rehab was going slow so he went to Europe to seek out different doctors.

 

So has there ever been any clarity on why it took nearly two years to rehab a surgery that, going in, the doctors said should take about a year?

The story spends a good amount of time on this. His trainer was the one who recommended he go to Europe. He was still in pain, so he was sent there to get away from football and focus on not having pain anymore as opposed to “being able to throw again”. 

[Nate!]

1 hour ago, NewColtsFan said:

This is not the first time you’ve said this.   No one backed you the first time, I’d be surprised if anyone would back you this time. 

Full backing.  
 

just like Colts should’ve drafted Tom Brady as everybody knew from College Peyton couldn’t win the big games with consistently.  So dumb of the Colts not to have a back up plan for Peyton’s tendency to choke.

 

don’t get me started on not drafting Russell Wilson the same year they drafted Luck.  Everybody knew Andrew was a strange cat and could retire at any moment.  Colts should’ve known better!!!!

[King Colt]

6 hours ago, #12. said:

 

Get plenty of rest and try not to watch Matt Ryan throw a football.

That is not a football rather a 16-pound shotput.

[NewColtsFan]

4 minutes ago, DougDew said:

He went to Europe to rehab after already spending a lot of time rehabbing for months post-surgery.  At the time, the word was that the rehab was going slow so he went to Europe to seek out different doctors.

 

So has there ever been any clarity on why it took nearly two years to rehab a surgery that, going in, the doctors said should take about a year?

In the article — the one you couldn’t read — when he started his rehab, Luck couldn’t make a throwing motion holding a towel that weighed one pound.   It hurt too much.   
 

By the time he went to Europe, he struggled to raise a 2.5 pound weight above his head.   It was that hard.   But when he did it, at least there was no pain.  
 

Does any of that sound like a guy whose problem was between his ears?   Like it was all in his mind?   No.  
 

I don’t know why it took this long?   But the guy spent years trying to get back to normal.   He sought out the best doctors he could find.  He traveled outside the US, he also traveled around the country.  He did everything he could to try to get better.   His career was that important to him.  
 

 

[King Colt]

Message to all: Get over it or let's talk Unitas' rib injury

[NewColtsFan]

6 minutes ago, Nate! said:

Full backing.  
 

just like Colts should’ve drafted Tom Brady as everybody knew from College Peyton couldn’t win the big games with consistently.  So dumb of the Colts not to have a back up plan for Peyton’s tendency to choke.

 

don’t get me started on not drafting Russell Wilson the same year they drafted Luck.  Everybody knew Andrew was a strange cat and could retire at any moment.  Colts should’ve known better!!!!

Huh?   I don’t know you very well as a poster.    So I don’t know if you’re being serious or facetious.   But this is one of the strangest posts I’ve ever seen here, so I’m kinda stunned.  
 

if you’re serious, we should probably just agree to disagree. 

[Superman]

14 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

Huh?   I don’t know you very well as a poster.    So I don’t know if you’re being serious or facetious.   But this is one of the strangest posts I’ve ever seen here, so I’m kinda stunned.  
 

if you’re serious, we should probably just agree to disagree. 

 

Reads like sarcasm to me.

 

26 minutes ago, RollerColt said:

The story spends a good amount of time on this. His trainer was the one who recommended he go to Europe. He was still in pain, so he was sent there to get away from football and focus on not having pain anymore as opposed to “being able to throw again”. 

 

Amazing what you pick up when you actually read the article.

[Fluke_33]

54 minutes ago, DougDew said:

Yep, one who probably loved the role of putting a team on his back, putting 60,000 fans on his back, and more fans at home on his back and carrying them across the finish line to share in a trophy...or fail trying.  Sounds like Peyton.  Doesn't sound like Andrew.  He would probably feel guilty if he failed.  Not disappointed for himself, but guilty that he let so many others down.  A huge burden for a person who has a big conscience.

 

Notice that the word "football" is nowhere in that thought.

 

If Luck said, "I'm going train to try to represent my country in the Tour De France", or "I wish I was good enough to try out for the Olympic Ski Team", then I would have a different opinion.

Funny you say that.  I was wondering what it would be like if he played soccer in the World Cup for the USA. I bet he was that good at soccer too.  

[csmopar]

8 hours ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

I think really the only issue with his retirement with people in here is was when he did it. That was my only issue as well. Had he retired after losing to Mahomes and KC in the playoffs, I doubt anyone would have had a problem with that, had he said I just can do it anymore I am too beat up and injured. When he retired it screwed our draft up in 2019 because Ballard never dreamed he would retire. It actually screwed up  the 2018 draft as well because we drafted Nelson to bolster the O.Line who went at #6 to help protect Luck. Josh Allen went #7, had Luck retired before 2018, we may have drafted Allen. Having said that I can see why he retired, I think he was a great QB for 3 years (2012-2014), brought us a lot of wins, I also believe he belongs in the ROH. If he wanted to come back next year, I would be excited. This city would be too I am sure. I wish him well regardless, family is very important, football is just a game. 

No heck no to the RoH. 

[DougDew]

56 minutes ago, RollerColt said:

The story spends a good amount of time on this. His trainer was the one who recommended he go to Europe. He was still in pain, so he was sent there to get away from football and focus on not having pain anymore as opposed to “being able to throw again”. 

 

30 minutes ago, Superman said:

Amazing what you pick up when you actually read the article.

Dumb sarcastic retorts aside, what I'm asking is, why was he still in constant pain at that point?

 

IIRC, there was a selfie picture posted of him in Europe, looking very thin and almost emaciated.  That was about the time that he was supposed to be well into his rehab, which then was delayed for two seasons.  He went to Europe specifically because the rehab was taking more time than expected.

 

Two possible answers as to why he was still in constant pain at that point are:

 

The surgery was botched

The rehab was being botched.

 

Kinda like the snowboarding thing where what actually happened was never public.  In this case never really clear other than he needed more time than expected.  

 

If the article actually says why the rehab took so long in the first place, please share.

 

(BTW, since that info about a very very important NFL QB was never revealed at the time, why he missed two full seasons instead of one, my guess is that this article skims right past that important question)

[Fluke_33]

1 hour ago, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

I have the Athletic but that’s the only one I have.  I love their articles. But I am not paying for the Indystar. Or any of the local media.  There are actually a lot of services that are free but do offer a premium subscription. 

Did you read the article on Jeff Herod?   Crazy to juxtapose that one with the luck  article.    Similar issues and very different paths taken. 
 

It’s also interesting that there is no post regarding the Herod article on the board. 
I also wonder if espn saw the Herod article and put the luck article out to take away its impact.  
 

the Herrod article is excellent by the way.  Some of keefers finest work.  

[csmopar]

Some people have both the heart and mind of a warrior, some people have neither and some people have one or the other. Luck fits in there somewhere, but it sure isn’t both. And there’s nothing wrong with that. He chose his family, good for him.

 

he also screwed over the colts, fans and city with his timing. He and he alone chose that timing.  

[indyagent17]

He was under contract and should have NOT been snowboarding in the first place. He looked fantastic the game before with a flawless cone drill and his leg planted nicely. He waited too long to tell the team he was retiring effectively made us not look for a QB in the draft. Now I hear he was crying because of relief but took the $20 million bonus. I do not buy any of his reasoning at all. He hurt himself doing something he knew he shouldn’t. He fooled Irsay, the team and us fans. He knew that bonus was to given to hope he would return one day.  I have no respect for him at all 

[DougDew]

36 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

In the article — the one you couldn’t read — when he started his rehab, Luck couldn’t make a throwing motion holding a towel that weighed one pound.   It hurt too much.   
 

By the time he went to Europe, he struggled to raise a 2.5 pound weight above his head.   It was that hard.   But when he did it, at least there was no pain.  
 

Does any of that sound like a guy whose problem was between his ears?   Like it was all in his mind?   No.  
 

I don’t know why it took this long?  

 

 

As the number 1 Andrew Luck fan on the planet, why don't you know why it took so long by now?  Why didn't we all know it at the time.  Why didn't this article that I didn't NEED to read in total, still not answer that important question?

 

Botched surgery?

Wasn't all that crazy about returning to competitive football in the first place?

 

Please tell me what the stellar media investigation found out about why the delayed rehab of one of the most important players in the NFL took so long.

[Fluke_33]

51 minutes ago, RollerColt said:

 Pain is the reason he retired early. His personality was what allowed him to make that difficult decision. 

that summarizes the article perfectly.  You nailed it 

 

a not meant to be funny portion of the article that I took as funny anyway,  was when they were in Amsterdam and he was complaining about pain and pain management his wife said as a gymnast she had broken her back, ankles, torn various ligaments and spent her who,e life in pain etc.  he got mad.  Standard marriage issues!  I mean let the poor man have his moment  Lol. 

[Tsarquise]

9 hours ago, RollerColt said:

The opposite of Tom Brady in a way. He chose his wife and kids over football. At the end of the day, this is just a silly meaningless game that we humans play on a speeding rock hurtling across time and space. There are much more important things. God, wife and kids. I understand his choice as a father and husband. 

You can have a nihilistic view about anything in life or even l life itself.  It means a lot to some, and nothing to others. Ultimately it didn't mean enough to him to continue. 

[EastStreet]

 

Reading the same narratives... everyone has their own take... and that's fine...

 

To me... Great guy. Quirky guy. But simply had too many options (in life, in general). Many, many, guys have injuries. Heck, Campbell has injured every year until this year. Luck just didn't have the hunger (or need) for football, that others do.  I don't have a problem he retired. I do have a problem "when" he retired. And I have a little bit of problem he took the money when leaving. And at this point, I don't care lol... More concerned about the next QB... 

 

 

[RollerColt]

20 minutes ago, DougDew said:

 

Dumb sarcastic retorts aside, what I'm asking is, why was he still in constant pain at that point?

 

IIRC, there was a selfie picture posted of him in Europe, looking very thin and almost emaciated.  That was about the time that he was supposed to be well into his rehab, which then was delayed for two seasons.  He went to Europe specifically because the rehab was taking more time than expected.

 

The possible answers as to why he was still in constant pain at that point are:

 

The surgery was botched

The rehab was being botched.

 

Kinda like the snowboarding thing where what actually happened was never public.  In this case never really clear other than he needed more time than expected.  

 

If the article actually says why the rehab took so long in the first place, please share.

 

(BTW, since that info about a very very important NFL QB was never revealed at the time, why he missed two full seasons instead of one, my guess is that this article skims right past that important question)

Also in the article.

 

Three different doctors had three different theories on why he was still in pain after surgery and rehab. It was at that point he went to the trainer who became a very trusted friend, who said go to Europe. 

[RollerColt]

1 minute ago, EastStreet said:

 

Reading the same narratives... everyone has their own take... and that's fine...

 

To me... Great guy. Quirky guy. But simply had too many options (in life, in general). Many, many, guys have injuries. Heck, Campbell has injured every year until this year. Luck just didn't have the hunger (or need) for football, that others do.  I don't have a problem he retired. I do have a problem "when" he retired. And I have a little bit of problem he took the money when leaving. And at this point, I don't care lol... More concerned about the next QB... 

 

 

One of the biggest takeaways from the article was that the pressure was too much. It was something many had talked about: how does one take over and lead a franchise after Peyton Manning. Andrew had the hunger, but what he didn’t have was the expectation to be himself. He’s not the guy to go into the GMs office and make demands. In hindsight, maybe having so much success so early from high school to college to the NFL caused the pressure to mount in such a way that he had no idea how to release it. 

[LJpalmbeacher2]

1 hour ago, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

Another option was to draft a rookie that high. If luck gets healthy and no signs of retiring he could of been traded in a year or two and the rookie would be ready. Or you keep luck and trade the rookie. I just don’t know when the rookie pay scale started and I’d that was possible. If this happened today it could be done because of rookie pay scale.

Bingo.

I said that years ago.

[DougDew]

10 minutes ago, RollerColt said:

Also in the article.

 

Three different doctors had three different theories on why he was still in pain after surgery and rehab. It was at that point he went to the trainer who became a very trusted friend, who said go to Europe. 

Any valid medical reason for such an important situation for the NFL would have been public info at the time, I mean unless it directly violated HPPA, so Andrew would have to disclose it if he wanted people to know.

 

So it sounds kinda like the weird leg injury that was the catalyst for the retirement.  He reports constant pain, but the doctors that kept examining him didn't know why.   But if they did find out, Andrew has still not told us the medical reason that he was in pain.

 

Thanks.  Its kinda what I thought all along.   

 

 

 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

3 minutes ago, RollerColt said:

One of the biggest takeaways from the article was that the pressure was too much. It was something many had talked about: how does one take over and lead a franchise after Peyton Manning. Andrew had the hunger, but what he didn’t have was the expectation to be himself. He’s not the guy to go into the GMs office and make demands. In hindsight, maybe having so much success so early from high school to college to the NFL caused the pressure to mount in such a way that he had no idea how to release it. 

Yep. His personality and OCD traits were the main downfall. A lot of QB would of handled the pressure. He just had those traits that wouldn’t let him. The. When he did get United the worst of those traits came out.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

2 minutes ago, DougDew said:

Any valid medical reason for such an important event would have been public info at the time, I mean unless it directly violated HPPA, so Andrew would have to disclose it if he wanted people to know.

 

So it sounds kinda like the weird leg injury that was the catalyst for the retirement.  He reports constant pain, but the doctors kept examining him but didn't know why.   

 

Thanks.  Its kinda what I thought all along.   

 

 

 

I thought from the beginning this was the case and it wasn’t the actual injury. Fans didn’t want to hear  that and blasted other fans for that. 
 

After that KC loss there was a story written and the theme at the end was how at peace he was. What that person that wrote the article didn’t know how that was basically foreshadowing his retirement.

[LJpalmbeacher2]

To put it briefly, he wasn't the man for the job. (mentally/emotionally of being a Franchise QB)