Andrew Luck officially announced his retirement during an emotional press conference on Saturday night and then answered many questions from reporters about what went into the decision.
Luck’s decision was made because of his desire to end what he called a cycle of injury, pain and rehab over the last few years. He was asked about the possibility of returning to play if his current ankle injury heals in a way that he’s not feeling the same kind of pain in the future.
“I can’t see the future,” Luck said. “But I very clearly in my mind see that I won’t.”
Colts owner Jim Irsay Irsay discussed the same possibility during his own press conference on Saturday. He mentioned Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan in a winding and hopeful answer.
“You know, I don’t rule it out,” Irsay said. “Because as quickly as this thing sort of descended on us, and as mysterious as it was coming upon us, it could leave the same way.”
While the announcement came as a surprise, Luck did not sound like someone who had made a quick decision to end his playing career. That doesn’t preclude a change of heart at some point, but Irsay’s thoughts seem to be wishful thinking as much as anything else at this point.