Andrew Luck Retires from the NFL

joe dokes

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Here's some additional context from B-R's Mike Freeman that could probably go in the Future of Football thread, too:



It goes on, and might be hard to read, but that's Luck's context, that's his day to day backdrop.

Also makes me wonder what happened in the 70s, 80s etc, long before Jovan Belcher, long before Junior Seau. Were they just not reported-on? Were suicides just not something that was discussed, because it was viewed as a character flaw? Were former non-HOF players just forgotten about and nobody cared? It's not like the game has gotten substantially more punishing in any regard since those days, and players just weren't getting battered the same way.
Two things come to mind: 1) Is there now easier access to suicide tools such as guns and more serious pills?; 2) I think more ex-players know now that a certain symptom or symptoms is indicative of a particular course their life is about to take. Had Mike Webster known what his earliest symptoms foretold he might have taken his own life.

And more backdrop....
https://deadspin.com/my-husband-is-dying-every-day-1837411982
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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Its worth noting that Luck was amongst the top five in sacked QB leaders twice in his first five seasons in the league including his rookie year.

As others have noted upthread, the guy's production needs to be analyzed contextually. Its impossible to say what his career looks like with more protection and better weapons but its reasonable to think that his numbers would have been better.
 

Jimbodandy

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As pointed out earlier, his "pedestrian numbers" were comparable after 6 seasons to QBs named Montana and Brees
Yes and when Montana and even Brees did it, those were great numbers.

If someone put up Bob Cousy numbers now, we'd call them pedestrian. When Bob led the league in assists with 7.5 and shot below .400 from the field, it was a big deal.

Compared to his contemporaries, Luck wasn't great. With a better coach and GM, he may have been great, but we'll never know.
 

GoDa

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Its worth noting that Luck was amongst the top five in sacked QB leaders twice in his first five seasons in the league including his rookie year.

As others have noted upthread, the guy's production needs to be analyzed contextually. Its impossible to say what his career looks like with more protection and better weapons but its reasonable to think that his numbers would have been better.
Also worth noting...

2015 Colts were 2-5 w/Luck and 6-3 w/o Luck.

2018 he was among the least sacked and least hit QBs. Also - his TT (time to throw) was among the very best (least) in the NFL. Conversely, in 2016 - when he was hit and sacked a ton - his TT was among the highest. I don't see TT data for the prior years, but it's an interesting data point in the "always awful" OL narrative.

He was 33-15 in his first 3 years... with his QBR in those 3 seasons being #10, #11, and #13. Good (not great) stats... and also interesting data points in the "Luck carried his awful team over the years" argument.

I definitely think there was a lot of interest (media/fans/etc.) in him being the next great QB... but I don't think he ever really was. He was pretty good in an era of easier offense. Nothing more.
 

PayrodsFirstClutchHit

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Its worth noting that Luck was amongst the top five in sacked QB leaders twice in his first five seasons in the league including his rookie year.

As others have noted upthread, the guy's production needs to be analyzed contextually. Its impossible to say what his career looks like with more protection and better weapons but its reasonable to think that his numbers would have been better.
To say that sacks are always the fault of a poor offensive line is not accurate. When Ben the rapist spends 10 seconds in the pocket and the gets sacked, do we say that is the fault of the line?

The QB shares the responsibility for the sack in some cases (get rid of the ball - stop scrambling). Let’s not give Luck a complete pass on this stat.
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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To say that sacks are always the fault of a poor offensive line is not accurate. When Ben the rapist spends 10 seconds in the pocket and the gets sacked, do we say that is the fault of the line?

The QB shares the responsibility for the sack in some cases (get rid of the ball - stop scrambling). Let’s not give Luck a complete pass on this stat.
To be clear, I am not suggesting that Luck played no role in his sack totals. However his protection for the early part of his career is widely viewed as inferior. The same can be said of his receivers and RBs. The case can be made that he wasn't good at getting rid of the ball at certain points but it was largely a function of the personnel around him.

Regardless of where you want to place blame, reasonable people can agree that he took a lot of punishment during his professional career. That clearly contributed to not just his injuries but also his overall production totals. People are going to try to assess his career and where he ranks in the QB landscape so they will either factor it in or they won't. That goes for whether he should be considered "soft" or not.
 

loshjott

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Martellus Bennett with some typically thoughtful reactions.

@MartysaurusRex
·

Aug 25
At some point you gotta start thinking about being a fully functioning human for your family. They deserve a dad who hasn’t lost his mind to concussions. Our wives deserve not having to be our nurse for the rest of our lives. They deserve a fully functioning human in their lives


These are fathers, husbands, sons etc. they have more to think about than what fans want for them. Because once you’re out of the game you don’t have the fans just your loved ones.


@MartysaurusRex
·
Aug 25

Football doesn’t care about players. Players are starting to realize that more and more. The game gets what it needs from you then moves on. Now that players are getting what they need from the game and moving on it’s fucking up the ecosystem


@MartysaurusRex
·
Aug 25

He’s made one of the biggest comebacks to play the game he loved you have no idea what that took. The stress, doubt, pain etc that he endured to get thru that.


@MartysaurusRex
·
Aug 25

He’s a human. Not a jersey number built to entertain you. He’s earned his right to move on from the game whenever he wants to. And for guys to say he had so much football left you have no idea what an individual has left. He gave it what he had, had no more to give.


@MartysaurusRex
·
Aug 25

I’m not surprised people booed Andrew Luck. I always say that fans don’t see football players as humans. Most people take a week off with a common cold lol. They wanna boo this dude for making a decision for his life that truly has no personal effect on the fans as individuals.


Aug 25

Excited for Andrew Luck. The next phase is going to be an amazing one for him. Super intelligent and fun guy.
 

BigSoxFan

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Martellus Bennett with some typically thoughtful reactions.

@MartysaurusRex
·

Aug 25
At some point you gotta start thinking about being a fully functioning human for your family. They deserve a dad who hasn’t lost his mind to concussions. Our wives deserve not having to be our nurse for the rest of our lives. They deserve a fully functioning human in their lives


These are fathers, husbands, sons etc. they have more to think about than what fans want for them. Because once you’re out of the game you don’t have the fans just your loved ones.


@MartysaurusRex
·
Aug 25

Football doesn’t care about players. Players are starting to realize that more and more. The game gets what it needs from you then moves on. Now that players are getting what they need from the game and moving on it’s fucking up the ecosystem


@MartysaurusRex
·
Aug 25

He’s made one of the biggest comebacks to play the game he loved you have no idea what that took. The stress, doubt, pain etc that he endured to get thru that.


@MartysaurusRex
·
Aug 25

He’s a human. Not a jersey number built to entertain you. He’s earned his right to move on from the game whenever he wants to. And for guys to say he had so much football left you have no idea what an individual has left. He gave it what he had, had no more to give.


@MartysaurusRex
·
Aug 25

I’m not surprised people booed Andrew Luck. I always say that fans don’t see football players as humans. Most people take a week off with a common cold lol. They wanna boo this dude for making a decision for his life that truly has no personal effect on the fans as individuals.


Aug 25

Excited for Andrew Luck. The next phase is going to be an amazing one for him. Super intelligent and fun guy.
Love this guy.
 

Captaincoop

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"Most people take a week off with a common cold lol..."

Most people work their entire life and make less than you did in a year. Boo hoo for today's professional football players.
 

SoxinSeattle

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"Most people take a week off with a common cold lol..."

Most people work their entire life and make less than you did in a year. Boo hoo for today's professional football players.
I'm not sure he was looking for sympathy as much as he was explaining the human aspect of football. But ,yeah, he's rich so fuck him.
 

moondog80

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I don't blame Luck one bit for doing whatever he wants, but I also don't feel bad that he got booed by some fans who had just heard the sudden news of his retirement. The fanaticism of sports fans is a double-edged sword. You want them to always react calmly and rationally? Fine, but be prepared to play for like 10% of your current salary.
 

PedroKsBambino

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"Most people take a week off with a common cold lol..."

Most people work their entire life and make less than you did in a year. Boo hoo for today's professional football players.
That's what you took away from his posts? We're better than that---at least, we should be.
 

GoDa

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That's what you took away from his posts? We're better than that---at least, we should be.
I, for one, always do and always have considered the potential profound sociological, ecological, economic, emotional, psychological, and other miscellaneous impacts of my actions before pressing my lips together and making the "booooo" sound at a sporting event.

I would also like to point out that, although it isn't verified and I just heard some people say this, if someone spray-painted F Luck on his dog... that's vile!

Please click the "like" button and subscribe!
 

Leather

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That's what you took away from his posts? We're better than that---at least, we should be.
Well Bennett’s overall point was well taken, but that totally unnecessary backhand undermines it because it confirms the disparity that people booing Luck are claiming exists. Most people *do not* take a week off for a common cold. Lots of middle and working class people can’t afford to call in sick at all, or those that can go to work sick when they should be home, because of America’s corrupted fetishization of “hard work”.

Bennett saying “most people take a week off for a common cold” is as ignorant as a grocery store manager claiming Luck is soft for not finishing a rehab assignment.
 

PedroKsBambino

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Well Bennett’s overall point was well taken, but that totally unnecessary backhand undermines it because it confirms the disparity that people booing Luck are claiming exists. Most people *do not* take a week off for a common cold. Lots of middle and working class people can’t afford to call in sick at all, or those that can go to work sick when they should be home, because of America’s corrupted fetishization of “hard work”.

Bennett saying “most people take a week off for a common cold” is as ignorant as a grocery store manager claiming Luck is soft for not finishing a rehab assignment.
Perhaps, but even if so that only makes my point that two stupid comments don't become good just because they are coming from opposite directions doesn't it?

We should be better.
 

SumnerH

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"Most people take a week off with a common cold lol..."

Most people work their entire life and make less than you did in a year. Boo hoo for today's professional football players.
This is gross. How much money is enough that we should expect people to be happy sacrificing their brains as entertainment? Should richer people go into work, sacrificing their own health and potentially infecting coworkers, because they make more money than most? Do people who earn more not deserve days off for health reasons?
 

edoug

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Was it a Civic?
You know the cars they give to Super Bowl MVPs? Definitely not one of those.:) It's so hard to believe so many posters are defending him here, including me. You know who else is defending him, every football player that has tweeted about it so far. You know the guys who know what he's going through.
 

Spacemans Bong

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Well Bennett’s overall point was well taken, but that totally unnecessary backhand undermines it because it confirms the disparity that people booing Luck are claiming exists. Most people *do not* take a week off for a common cold. Lots of middle and working class people can’t afford to call in sick at all, or those that can go to work sick when they should be home, because of America’s corrupted fetishization of “hard work”.

Bennett saying “most people take a week off for a common cold” is as ignorant as a grocery store manager claiming Luck is soft for not finishing a rehab assignment.
But wanting Luck to play through pain at the long-term risk of his health isn't just ignorant, it's malicious. The Indy grocery store stockboy booing Luck wants his Sunday NFL binky, if Luck is shooting himself in the chest at 60 so his brain can be studied by the BU CTE center they'll pause for a second and then move on with their lives.

I agree that American labor rights suck and we've ended up in an absurd situation where going to work throwing up from the flu is fetishized versus being correctly seen as an insane thing to do which puts other people at risk. But unless Bennett is donating to political candidates who oppose labor rights or not embracing them in any business he owns, then he's not as malicious as the fan who just wants Luck to suck it up and get out there so the Colts don't stink this year.
 

Leather

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But wanting Luck to play through pain at the long-term risk of his health isn't just ignorant, it's malicious. The Indy grocery store stockboy booing Luck wants his Sunday NFL binky, if Luck is shooting himself in the chest at 60 so his brain can be studied by the BU CTE center they'll pause for a second and then move on with their lives.

I agree that American labor rights suck and we've ended up in an absurd situation where going to work throwing up from the flu is fetishized versus being correctly seen as an insane thing to do which puts other people at risk. But unless Bennett is donating to political candidates who oppose labor rights or not embracing them in any business he owns, then he's not as malicious as the fan who just wants Luck to suck it up and get out there so the Colts don't stink this year.
I'm not calling Bennett malicious. I have no problem with his general statement or his obvious position. I'm just pointing out that the inclusion of that "common cold...lol" is counterproductive and weakens his otherwise solid message.
 

snowmanny

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You took one small part of one of six tweets and picked that out, making no comments about the rest of them in your first post. So, yeah.
I believe it was someone else, not drleather, who originally raised an objection to this piece of the tweet. drleather just picked up on the conversation. I totally agree with drleather, by the way. I think Bennett's overall message was spot on, but I think he weakened his point with an unnecessary jab at "most" (common) "people." Obviously elite athletes are all tough and hard-working, but it's not helpful to make that argument by calingl the fans soft and lazy.
 

Leather

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You took one small part of one of six tweets and picked that out, making no comments about the rest of them in your first post. So, yeah.


A) I was responding to a poster commenting on someone who took a much more drastic view of Bennett's post. Context matters.

B) My post begins: "Well Bennett’s overall point was well taken". So, no. You're literally incorrect and the premise of your critique is invalid.
 

loshjott

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A) I was responding to a poster commenting on someone who took a much more drastic view of Bennett's post. Context matters.

B) My post begins: "Well Bennett’s overall point was well taken". So, no. You're literally incorrect and the premise of your critique is invalid.
You are correct, my mistake, sorry.
 

dcmissle

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But wanting Luck to play through pain at the long-term risk of his health isn't just ignorant, it's malicious. The Indy grocery store stockboy booing Luck wants his Sunday NFL binky, if Luck is shooting himself in the chest at 60 so his brain can be studied by the BU CTE center they'll pause for a second and then move on with their lives.

I agree that American labor rights suck and we've ended up in an absurd situation where going to work throwing up from the flu is fetishized versus being correctly seen as an insane thing to do which puts other people at risk. But unless Bennett is donating to political candidates who oppose labor rights or not embracing them in any business he owns, then he's not as malicious as the fan who just wants Luck to suck it up and get out there so the Colts don't stink this year.
It’s modern day Christians and lions. Issue teed up well here —

https://www.google.com/amp/s/beta.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/08/26/andrew-luck-made-brave-decision-he-might-inspire-other-nfl-players-do-same/?outputType=amp
And double fuck hard Gottlieb, who tried to back away from it opening his radio show — I was joking, it was snark — but ended up doubling down. He is such a weasel that he richly deserved people going back to his Notre Dame days, when he was thrown out of the school for credit card fraud.
 

Kenny F'ing Powers

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Jesus.

I'm cool with people retiring from football. Not my business. But let's stop trying to canonize the guy. Its not like this has never happened before. Brown, Sanders, Calvin Johnson, Patrick Willis, Tiki Barber, Borland, Kaepernick...
 

dcmissle

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Jesus.

I'm cool with people retiring from football. Not my business. But let's stop trying to canonize the guy. Its not like this has never happened before. Brown, Sanders, Calvin Johnson, Patrick Willis, Tiki Barber, Borland, Kaepernick...
Right, but this has never happened with a QB of note. Kap was an entirely different deal. Aikman and Steve Young were so beaten up they had already ridden the train to the end.

It’s not canonization. It’s just crediting a wise choice.
 

BroodsSexton

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This is insane. I don’t care how much you love sports and competition, it makes more sense to criticize the guy who has made $97 million and still puts his body out there to be ravaged than it does to criticize Luck for — taking all factors into account — walking away. In no world does Andrew Luck have a path to becoming the next Tom Brady. His “legacy,” such as it is, is already cemented: high draft pick quarterback who played for a number of years, got the shit kicked out of him playing for a poorly-run franchise that didn’t appropriately support him with adequate players and coaching, and is headed for a slow decline of debilitating physical pain. Winning a Super Bowl or two, even if were possible (and it’s doubtful) wouldn’t change any of that. His absolute ceiling right now is basically Dan Marino with a title or two. OK. Great. He’s not going to get there but so what if he did? GJGE.

The real story here is the guys who have made 8 or 9 figures and are still running their bodies into a wood-chipper for no apparent reason other than sport. What kind of idiocy is that?
 

sodenj5

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Andrew Luck is “fortunate” in that he no longer needs football and made the decision to walk away on his own terms.

The flip side of that coin is there are far more players who simply can’t do that. Players that haven’t made it to a second contract to cash in. Players that come from nothing and football is their only avenue out of poverty.

Despite players like Gronk and Luck deciding to walk away, football is still a golden ticket for so many that I don’t think it will ever die entirely.
 

nayrbrey

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Another former player, in this case Bronco WR/TE Nate Jackson, weighs in.
https://deadspin.com/football-doesnt-let-you-leave-1837662990
Edit- This section in particular got to me:

It was never my dream to turn on the TV and hear entitled assholes speculating about my health, my injuries, and devoting segments on their shows to discussing my medical file, guffawing their way through segment after segment about the hell I have endured. But that’s what life becomes for NFL players: reciting tired sound bites through gritted teeth and long, sleepless nights, handfuls of pills, and early-morning rehab sessions, sideways looks from coaches who want you on that field, who need you on that field, or else your ass is gone.
 
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