Almost six years after shocking the football world, former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck is finally shedding more light on his decision to retire from the NFL.
“I was gonna play until I was 40 or 45,” he told The Athletic’s Zak Keefer in a recent interview.
Once considered the face of the franchise and a future Hall of Famer, Luck stunned fans on August 24, 2019, when he walked away at just 29 years old.
The vision of longevity was not just about football for Luck. He wanted to build a life around the sport, imagining raising his kids, storing Super Bowl rings and living a simpler life close to the Colts’ practice facility. But years of chronic pain and injuries turned the game he loved into a source of misery.
“I fell out of love,” Luck said. The decision wasn’t easy. Luck struggled with sleepless nights and constant reflection on what he was leaving behind. For a time, he couldn’t even watch football on TV without feeling frustrated or nostalgic. “I can’t be 30 years old and retired,” he would say to himself. “This is ridiculous.”
But now, at 35, Luck is embracing his new chapter. Back at his alma mater, he is running Stanford’s football program as general manager.
Luck’s Role and the Future of Cardinal Football
Named GM of the Cardinal football program in November 2024, Luck oversees everything from recruiting to roster strategy, fundraising, alumni relations and the fan experience.
It’s a full-circle moment for the former star QB, who once led Stanford to national prominence and is now shaping the next generation of players.
“I am a product of this University, of Nerd Nation; I love this place,” Luck said last November. “I believe deeply in Stanford’s unique approach to athletics and academics and the opportunity to help drive our program back to the top. Coach Taylor has the team pointed in the right direction, and I cannot wait to work with him, the staff, and the best, brightest, and toughest football players in the world.”
From 2009-11, Luck led Stanford to a 31-7 overall record and was a two-time Heisman runner-up.
Outstanding Colts Career Fuels Vision for Stanford Football
Drafted No. 1 overall by the Colts in 2012, Luck’s seven-year NFL career was marked by both prodigious talent and resilience. He threw for over 23,500 yards, 171 touchdowns and earned four Pro Bowl selections — including a 2014 season in which he led the NFL with 40 passing touchdowns.
He was awarded the 2018 NFL Comeback Player of the Year after missing the entire 2017 season from shoulder surgery — finishing with 4,593 passing yards and 39 touchdowns and led the Colts to nine wins in their final 10 games.
Now off the game field, Luck’s impact between college and the pros is restoring the excellence of Stanford football. A 2012 graduate in architectural design who finished his master’s in education in 2023, he’s setting the bar for academic and professional dedication.
Stanford’s season kicks off on August 23 at Hawaii, and the excitement for the 2025 campaign is real. Since hanging up his Colts jersey, Luck has shifted gears but has kept the same ultimate drive.
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