Why did Andrew Luck retire early? Taking a closer look at Stanford alum's football career
Andrew Luck had a stellar career with the Stanford Cardinal. He was one of the biggest prospects in the 2012 NFL draft and went to the Indianapolis Colts as the first overall pick that year. But his career in the NFL was short-lived.
Luck retired from football after just seven seasons although he showed what he was capable of during that time. But why did he retire so early at the age of just 29? Here is a deep dive into the Stanford alum's football career that promised a lot but was cut short due to one reason.
The reason Andrew Luck retired early
Andrew Luck was one of the best quarterbacks in the 2012 draft class and that was the reason the Indianapolis Colts used their first overall pick to draft him. He had won numerous awards in his senior year for the Stanford Cardinal and made a name for himself. But the QB said goodbye to the football field after just seven years in the NFL at the age of 29. And the reason was persistent injuries.
Luck suffered numerous injuries during his career that saw him sidelined on several occasions. After a point, he just couldn't bear not being able to consistently contribute and decided it was time to call it quits. Luck opened up about it to the fans in an interview with ESPN later.
It was the cycle of getting hurt and the healing process that got to him. So much so that he wanted none of it anymore. So, two weeks before the 2019 season was about to start, he decided to hang his cleats for good, sending shockwaves among the fans. And since then, he has been enjoying his life away from the gridiron.
What is Andrew Luck doing now?
Andrew Luck stayed away from football for a while but the love of the game didn't let him do it permanently. He returned to football in 2023, this time as a coach. And he is trying to impart whatever knowledge the former Stanford QB has accumulated over the years to the next generation.
Luck took a part-time job as the coach of the Paulo Alto High School. While it may not be a flashy job fit for a former first-overall pick, he gets to be on the field twice a week and help the new generation learn the game he loves.
Luck might have said goodbye to the football field, but the football field isn't ready to let go just yet.