Andrew Luck isn’t coming back. Not now, not ever - and according to him, the Colts never even asked.
In an interview with Jim Rome, the former Indianapolis Colts quarterback made it clear: there was never a conversation about a return to football, not even when the franchise found itself in yet another quarterback bind. “Zero, so I had zero chances to say no,” Luck said when asked if the Colts reached out.
And if they had? “No thank you…I’m where I’m supposed to be.”
It’s the kind of definitive answer that Colts fans have been waiting to hear - even if it’s not the one they were hoping for.
Luck, now serving as the general manager of Stanford football, is fully entrenched in his post-playing career. And while the NFL has seen its fair share of comeback stories - including the recent return of 44-year-old Philip Rivers to fill in after Daniel Jones’ season-ending injury - Luck’s chapter appears to be firmly closed.
The contrast between Luck and Rivers is striking. Rivers, who last played in January 2021, stepped back onto the field after nearly three years away.
Meanwhile, Luck, who retired in August 2019 just shy of his 30th birthday, hasn’t so much as entertained the idea. And remember, this was a player who had just won Comeback Player of the Year in 2018.
He was still very much in his prime when he walked away, citing the physical and mental toll the game had taken.
Since that shocking decision, the Colts have been on a quarterback carousel that’s spun through names like Jacoby Brissett, Carson Wentz, Matt Ryan, Anthony Richardson, Gardner Minshew II, and Daniel Jones. Only Jones has shown real promise, but he’s now a pending free agent - and there’s no guarantee he’ll be back in Indianapolis next season.
The one bright spot in the post-Luck era came in 2020, when Rivers led the Colts to an 11-5 finish and a playoff berth at age 39. Outside of that, it’s been a revolving door under center, with the franchise still searching for long-term stability at the game’s most important position.
Luck’s career, though brief, was nothing short of elite. Over six seasons, he completed 60.8% of his passes for 23,671 yards, 171 touchdowns, and 83 interceptions.
He was on a clear Hall of Fame trajectory - a generational talent with the arm, the smarts, and the toughness to lead a franchise for a decade or more. But the injuries piled up, the rehab never stopped, and ultimately, he made the call to step away.
And now, six years later, he’s not looking back.
So while Colts fans might still dream about what could’ve been - especially as the team searches for its next quarterback solution - Andrew Luck has moved on. He’s building something new at Stanford, and by all accounts, he’s exactly where he wants to be.
No comeback. No second thoughts. Just a former star who made peace with his decision - and never looked back.