In life there are moments that we will remember for a very long time. Andrew Luck retiring at the young age of 29, followed by being booed off his home field was one of those kinds of moments.
Along with the shock, I felt sorrow, sympathy that one of the greatest young quarterbacks of our generation felt the need to call it quits far earlier than I’m sure he ever dreamed of.
STAY CLASSY INDY:
If anybody knows how great of a guy Andrew Luck is, it should be Colts faithful. Regarded around the league as one of the most well-rounded and nicest guys on the field—someone who plays the game the right way. His sportsmanship rang true to the extent that he has been known to compliment guys on opposing defenses after they just tackled him into the turf.
The guy that took over as the face of the franchise, gave you seven seasons of everything he had. He led the 2012 Colts to a 12-4 season and playoff berth as a rookie with a team that went 2-14 the year before he arrived. He finished his brief but great career with four playoff appearances, threw for 171 TD’s and won the pass leader award in 2014. Oh yeah, he also played in four pro-bowl games.
That is the guy you let walk off the field after retiring with the sound of disapproval raining down from the seats. Unexpected hate is the last thing he’ll remember the only fan base he knew.
Has it really gotten to the point that as fans we feel entitled to judge a human being on a decision that he made in order to do right by his family? Why is it acceptable to forget the human element behind professional sports—not forgetting that a person lies behind that helmet?
Maybe it’s the amount of money that they make, or the fact that they are super athletes and we expect superhuman effort 100% of the time.
Fox sport personality Doug Gottlieb felt brazen enough to claim that Luck’s early and unexpected retirement was the “most millennial thing ever.”
To call Luck a spoiled millennial who was afraid to put in the work needed to rehab from injuries was not only asinine, but irresponsible.
Fortunately, the men who suit up every Sunday came to his defense. They understand the sacrifice that goes to playing such a difficult sport. Current and past athletes understand that when your body gives up on you the fun begins to leave the game.
Ok Gottlieb let’s recount how much of a millennial Luck is.
Not only did he play every season injured, but he also played behind the most continuously bad offensive lines in the NFL. The injuries that he eventually contributed to his retirement ranged from a lacerated kidney and a partially torn abdominal muscle, shoulder surgery, broken ribs, a concussion, chronic ankle pain and a shoulder that made him miss the entire 2017 season. Many of the injuries resulting from a team that wasn’t equipped to protect their most prized possession.
Luck had finally had enough of constantly getting injured and being in pain. The so called young lazy athlete left 500 million on the table to walk away from the game he knew he could no longer dedicate his life too. To the contrary of the notion of lazy and lacking drive, he knowingly left hundreds of millions behind to make sure his body would be functional for the family he and his wife plan to start soon. Courageous and trail blazing are the correct adjectives when recounting Lucks decision.
He was done a disservice ending up in a place that fans didn’t appreciate what they had—an ownership that failed to protect their franchise caliber quarterback. Andrew Luck didn’t let us down, he was betrayed by the only organization he knew.
If Andrew Luck is the new millennial poster child than, sign me up.
