On a seemingly calm Saturday night, the Indianapolis Colts went into a state of shock when they received the news that Andrew Luck was retiring from the NFL. After seven special seasons, Luck decided it was best for him to hang up his cleats to move forward in his life.
At just 29 years old, injuries have taken a toll on the strong-willed quarterback, both physically and mentally. Therefore, he believes the only way to escape the “cycle” of injuries that he's been in for the past four seasons was to remove himself from football.
Following the array of emotions pertaining to his retirement, the focus has shifted to how Indianapolis moves forward without Luck under center. Coming into this season, there were Super Bowl aspirations for the Colts as they were trending upwards as a franchise.
In 2018, Luck made his return to the football field after missing the entire 2017 season due to a serious shoulder injury. The cerebral quarterback would have an MVP-caliber season with 4,593 yards and 39 touchdowns. His admirable display on the field landed him the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year Award.
As for the team, Indianapolis would finish with a 10-6 record in Frank Reich's first season as the head coach. The Colts squeaked into the playoffs and would take down the Houston Texans in the AFC Wild Card Round.
Then, in the following week, Luck and the Colts fell short to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Divisional Round. Despite the disappointing end to the season, the future was shining bright in Indianapolis.
Throughout the 2018 season, the offensive line was vastly improved, Marlon Mack broke onto the scene, and Luck was surrounded with an abundance of talent. It was all smiles for the Colts as they began to fathom what the future could hold with this current roster.
Unfortunately, at the beginning of the offseason programs, Luck began to have issues with his calf and the prospects of the future were put on hold. Just a year after escaping the rehab for his shoulder injury; he was pulled right back into the daunting recovery process.
As mentioned before, he was exhausted physically, mentally, and emotionally due to the bevy of injuries he's undergone. During the 2017 season when Luck was stuck watching from the sideline; Jacoby Brissett was playing in his place.
Now, the future of the Colts organization rests on Brissett's shoulders once again. The Luck era in Indianapolis comes to an abrupt halt but Brissett's time has come.
At the end of the 2017 season, Brissett finished with 3,098 yards, 13 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. Expectedly, the predictions have been adjusted accordingly for what this team can accomplish.
Aside from Brissett, the team still has one of the NFL's best offensive lines and multiple offensive weapons. After bolstering their offensive line in 2018, the team allowed just 18 sacks last year. The 26-year-old quarterback will still have T.Y. Hilton, Jack Doyle, and Eric Ebron to target as well.
Along with the offensive firepower, the defense has made strides towards being a talented group. Last year, the Colts boasted the 11th ranked defense in total yards allowed. The defense has cornerstones to build around in linebacker Darius Leonard and safety Malik Hooker.
When taking a step back, this team is still oozing with talent after Luck's mind-blowing retirement. On the surface, Indianapolis may not appear to be a contender, but if Brissett can deliver, they'll be in good hands.
Currently, the state of the Colts is murky but this current roster can provide clarity on their future this year. Despite the understandable hesitancy surrounding this team, they are ready to continue what they started last year.
With that being said, the state of the Colts is still in a good place—even without Luck on their side.
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