Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck sent shockwaves to the entire sports world when he abruptly announced his retirement from the NFL on Saturday. The news didn't sit well with former and current NBA players such as Dorell Wright, Tristan Thompson, and Mike Conley, Jr.
Damn Luck got on huh.
— Dorell Wright 🏁 (@DWRIGHTWAY1) August 25, 2019
— Tristan Thompson (@RealTristan13) August 25, 2019
Luck retired?!? 😩
— Mike Conley (@mconley11) August 25, 2019
Kendrick Perkins, on the one hand, applauded the 29-year-old for walking out on his terms.
Best of luck to Luck in your next journey in life. Love it when a player of any sport retires on their on terms. #Neverknowwhatthefutureholds
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) August 25, 2019
Channing Frye, who admitted he wasn't much of a football junkie, suggests that the NFL might need to look into changes to protect its players.
I’m not a football by any stretch but with Andrew luck retiring does it send a message that the nfl needs changes to protect its players both on and off the field?
— Channing Frye (@channingfrye) August 25, 2019
Los Angeles Lakers forward Jared Dudley could not believe what he saw when Colts fans booed Andrew Luck as he made his final walk out of the field.
Never seen anything like this! On both spectrums https://t.co/9u0cbwREBV
— Jared Dudley (@JaredDudley619) August 25, 2019
Luck explained his decision to return and pointed to nagging injuries as the main reason why he chose to walk away. He cited that the cycle of going through rehab and playing through pain took the joy of the game away from him, and he didn't want to go through that process again.
Luck played with the Colts for all of his seven years in the league and was named to the Pro-Bowl four times. Likewise, after missing the entirety of the 2017 season due to a lingering shoulder issue, Luck returned and had a redemption campaign in 2018, earning the Comeback Player of the Year award.
The 29-year old quarterback will certainly leave a “What if?” legacy behind as he walks away from the sport. It's arguable that Luck would have carved out a Hall of Fame career eventually down the line. Unfortunately, going through some tough injuries has mentally checked him out of playing the game he loves.