Luck's sudden retirement should serve as a cautionary tale

There is news that surprises you, and there is news that surprises you. 

The bombshell that dropped on Saturday night of Indianapolis Colts
quarterback Andrew Luck was one that no one, perhaps outside of
Luck’s family or maybe the Colts organization saw coming. The 29-
year old Luck’s sudden exit from the game of football should serve
as a cautionary tale for NFL franchises that spend a lot of capital on
a quarterback. Before I explain why, here’s some context. 

Before playing seven years with the Colts, Luck was a college phenom
at Stanford University, where he won the Maxwell Award and the
Walter Camp Award and was twice named All-American. Luck was
the Heisman Trophy runner-up in 2010 and 2011 and was the
Offensive Player of the Year in the Pac 12 in both of those seasons. 

Luck was tabbed as a can’t miss prospect and was the first overall pick
in the 2012 draft. Luck led the Colts to the playoffs in each of his first
three seasons, two of which the team won the AFC South title. In that
span, Luck was selected to two Pro Bowls and led the Colts to the
second largest comeback in in NFL playoff history. Though known
for his passing, Luck had really good mobility. 

In 2016, he sustained a shoulder injury but continued to play. He had
surgery on that shoulder in the offseason and missed the entire 2017
campaign. Luck returned in 2018 and flourished. He finished second
in the league in touchdown passes and setting career-highs in several
categories, as well as leading the Colts to 10 wins and their first playoff
appearance since 2014. For his play he was voted to the fourth Pro
Bowl of his career and was named the Comeback Player of the Year. 

Colts owner Jim Irsay added that Luck could potentially be giving up as
much as $450 million dollars in future salary. Luck, meanwhile, cited
how the constant pain and rehabilitation sucked the joy out of playing.
The injury toll on Luck’s career goes as follows: a) Torn cartilage in two
ribs, b) Partially torn abdomen, c) Lacerated kidney that left him peeing
blood, d) At least 1 concussion, e) Torn labrum in his throwing shoulder,
f) Mysterious calf/ankle issue.

The news leaked as the Colts were playing their exhibition game at Lucas
Oil Field. As the teams vacated the field, Luck was booed by his home
fans. Being a sports fan with allegiances, I can understand the fans being
upset, especially considering the timing. After all, the Colts entered the
season with Super Bowl aspirations and Luck was the key to that hope.
Booing him though, while it is the fans’ right, I believe was out of
bounds. 

What is worse are people like ESPN’s Doug Gottlieb tweeting: “Retiring
cause rehabbing is 'too hard' is the most millennial thing ever
#AndrewLuck.” Gottlieb has absorbed much blowback but he justified
it as "I'm a smart ass. I always have been. I always will be," Gottlieb
said on his show. "And, if I can't find something funny with the things
in life, well then you know what, strike me down because I like to make
fun of things in life."

Two things, as a Generation Xer, I admit to having thrown plenty of
shade at millenials. However, anyone who questions Luck’s intestinal
fortitude, has nary a clue. I dare you to play three years at the Div. I
college level and seven in the NFL and take the pounding Luck has
absorbed, until you do, I’m not interested in your opinion on
questioning someone’s toughness. Secondly, Mr, Gottlieb, in order to
be a smart ass, first you have to be smart. You’re not, so that just makes
you an ass. 

There might be a few things about millennials that get me triggered but
given how many former NFL players are living compromised lives after
their careers, which in some cases have been speculated to lead to suicides,
it’s hard to blame them for being forward thinking about their lives. 

Most of all, Luck’s early retirement should be a message to teams spending
high end dollars and draft capital on quarterbacks. For openers, winning
a Super Bowl without a franchise level quarterback is career suicide unless
you have the 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers, 1985 Chicago Bears, 2000
Baltimore Ravens, to name a few, as a defense. 

The common narrative has been “offense sells tickets, defense wins
championships.” In today’s offensively driven NFL, I perceive that notion
to be less valid. I would take it a step further, “offense sells tickets, defense
wins games, trenches win championships.” I have seen plenty of great
offensive teams not win a Super Bowl. The 1998 Minnesota Vikings, the
2007 New England Patriots, the 1984 Miami Dolphins are a few that
come to mind. I have seen great defenses not lead to Super Bowls. The
1977 Atlanta Falcons (aka The Grits Blitz), the 1969 Minnesota Vikings,
1991 Philadelphia Eagles, are among those that come to mind. 

However, you simply cannot win without at least a good offensive line.
You don’t need the famed Great Wall of Dallas from the 1990s but you
can’t have a bad one. The quarterback is your car, whether it’s a
Lamborghini, Mazzerati, GMC or Honda. Depending on your taste, all
are nice vehicles. The offensive line is your insurance and mechanic
rolled into one. 

Good vehicles do you not function in the long run without either. You
need good insurance in case someone crashes into you and the car gets
wrapped around a utility pole. You also need a good mechanic whether
it is for basic maintenance or any repairs, major or minor. 

Unfortunately, the Colts addressed neither and that is why Luck broke
down.