In a gazillion years, I would never disparage Andrew Luck for his decision to walk away from football in the prime of his career.
It was shameful to hear the boos that rained down on him as he left the field Saturday night as news of his retirement broke to the fan base. I, for one, admire that an athlete of his stature could not only walk away from the income, but that he told the world, essentially, that his identity is not wrapped up in football. I'm in no position whatsoever to tell anybody how they should live their life.
I honor his decision to want to live a long, happy, and healthy life without the pain and suffering that comes with being a pro football player. I agree with the idea that his own health, both in the present and in the future, should be valued above performing like a circus monkey every Sunday. And I respect that he values his family over the trappings of being a professional athlete.
There is simply no question that Andrew Luck is a good guy, with a good heart, and gave everything he had to the position he played on the field. He is a class act all the way.
However, there is another side to this story, and the truth is that the fans, from a strictly football fan perspective, have every right to be upset, even if we respect the decision he had to make.
Let's face it: The average 29 year old guy doesn't have the luxury of being able to retire and simply walk away from his career, especially with the knowledge that he is ridiculously financially set for life. The average 29 year old, especially one who spent four years in college, is really only just getting settled in a career, and likely has hundreds of thousands of dollars in student loan debt.
Some are entrenched in a career at 29, but many are still finding their way, having floated between various jobs still trying to find the right place to land. Some never find it.
Only Andrew Luck can know if his decision to retire is ultimately the right one or not. But one thing is for sure: It is because of the fanbase of Indianapolis that he is able to do so at age 29.
Luck is a millionaire already, not to mention the millions of dollars he's walking away from in retirement. He's 29 years old. It's not as if he worked 30-40 years in a job, saved and invested well, and is now moving on to his golden years with just enough money to live in a decent retirement community until he dies and go out to eat at 4:30 in the afternoon when he wants to. No, Andrew Luck made nearly $15 million just for agreeing to play for the Indianapolis Colts before he ever took a snap, and, so far, has earned $97 million + in seven seasons with the team, and that's without playing a single down the entire 2017 season.
Who's to say Luck doesn't have other income potential? I have no idea. I don't know what his degree is in. I do know that he's a very smart guy, so the reality is likely that he'd have no trouble finding another good career and earn a good living. Be he'll be hard pressed to find anything else that will pay him nearly $100 million in seven years.
No, Luck is able to retire for one reason: Because he's a good football player and the fans invested money to watch him play. They not only invested their money to watch him play now, but they invested their money in believing that he would one day lead their team to a Super Bowl championship. We're not talking Trent Dilfer here. We're talking about a man who has the skill and the tools that make him perhaps one of the best five quarterbacks in the game. A bonafide star with a history of winning and a legitimate shot at winning it all.
The fans believed in that, and paid their own hard earned money with the hopes of those aspirations coming true. Now, he's gone.
Yes, the fans have a right to feel a little shafted.
Look, no one's life is going to significantly change if one guy plays football or not. No way am I trying to equate that playing football -- or any entertainment endeavor, for that matter -- is as life altering as, say, brain surgery. The sun will still rise tomorrow whether Andrew Luck plays football or not.
But there's something to be said for the entertainment industry in general. Despite most of the boneheads in Hollywood, entertainment pursuits are what keeps the populace from losing their marbles on a regular basis. People gladly fork over their hard-earned income because going to a ballgame or a movie gives them a chance to "get-away," even if only for a few hours. A chance to put the everyday stresses and problems of our lives aside for a bit and just enjoy being.
We get behind a team, and pay our money to support them, so that they, in turn, can give us little respites from our everyday lives. We hope they win it all, and get upset when they don't, but even then, we stay true, because it gives us something to hold onto when life gets a little crazy. We often complain about how much money athletes make, but at the end of the day, if they weren't there, and we didn't have entertainment options, we'd all probably go nuts. When it's all said and done, athletes make the money they make because we -- the fans -- pay them.
So yeah, the fans have a right to be upset with Andrew Luck. Questions about the timing of his decision, how much the front office knew of his feelings for how long, and all the rest, will all have to be settled another day. But the fans invested their time and money in watching Luck throw a football, and they are the only reason he has the financial means to walk away from it all before he turns 30.
I'm not offering a solution. I'm not saying there is one. I'm not suggesting the fans are due some sort of refund from the team. I'm not saying Luck or the Colts owe the fanbase some quid pro quo for the sunken hopes. I'm simply saying that there's justification in the fanbase being upset, even as most of us truly respect his choice. Most of us, faced with the same set of circumstances, would likely choose the same.
It's a dilemma for sure. You don't think the Colts front office is scrambling right now? You don't think the players themselves haven't all been thrown for a loop? You don't think Luck hasn't anguished over this? I don't care how much money a guy makes, it can't be easy to walk away from virtually the only thing he's known in his life since he was a fetus.
But the fans have taken one on the shin as well, and while we all applaud Andrew Luck for his courage and for what he gave us on the field, we have a right to be upset for how it all played out.
We all moved on after Peyton Manning (ironically, in large part due to the play and promise of Luck himself) and we'll all move on after Andrew Luck, and Jacoby Brissett and whoever else helms the team down the road. Tomorrow is a new day, as they say, and who knows? Maybe Brissett will shine given the full time chance to do so. If he does, the sting of Luck's departure won't last long. No pressure though.
We all wish Luck well -- Get well soon, brother.
But for now, the fans deserve the chance to cry a little bit.
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