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Boos reigned down from the stands at Lucas Oil Stadium last night, but they weren’t directed at the opposing team, they were directed towards Andrew Luck.
The news broke during the second half of the Colts’ third preseason game that 29 year old Andrew Luck had decided to retire from the NFL. Luck’s decision came as a shock to many. Fans in the stands reacted with all kinds of different emotions, some were even seen taking off their Andrew Luck jerseys.
Following the game, the Colts held a press conference and Luck was the first to speak. Luck explained how he was mentally worn down and called the decision the hardest of his life. He talked about how injuries have added up and retirement seemed like the only way to break the cycle. Luck was emotional as he finished by thanking many people who had helped him along the way including Jim Irsay, Chris Ballard, Frank Reich, Chuck Pagano, all of his teammates, and his family.
Owner Jim Irsay, GM Chris Ballard, and head coach Frank Reich took the podium next. They talked about how it had been an emotional week at the Colts facility, but they supported Luck’s decision. They took several questions about how they felt when they found out and what would be the next steps for the Colts. Frank Reich kept a ‘next man up’ mentality during the press conference and seemed ready for Jacoby Brissett to take over the offense.
The Colts don’t have a lot of time to sulk, they play their first regular season game in two weeks against the Chargers in Los Angeles. Less than a month ago the Colts were picked by many to be a Super Bowl favorite and Andrew Luck seemed ready to have an MVP type season. Overnight all of those predictions have changed. It’s the beginning of a new era in Indy and Jacoby Brissett is the next man up.