Ex Colts quarterback never contemplated returning to the NFL

Six years after his surprise NFL retirement, Andrew Luck returned to Indianapolis on Friday for the annual Chuckstrong Tailgate Gala.

Luck was only 29 years old when he left football. He will turn 35 in September, an age at which some quarterbacks, including Matthew Stafford, Kirk Cousins, Russell Wilson, and Aaron Rodgers, are still successful.

When asked if he had contemplated playing football after retiring, Luck claimed he had never looked back.

“When I retired, that part of it was put to bed in my mind in a very simple, sort of direct way,” Luck told reporters, including Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star. “There were a lot of complications around it, you know, certainly tormented inside, as you guys saw that night, but I think that part of it has stayed.”

Former Colts coach Chuck Pagano hosts the Chuckstrong Tailgate Gala, which raises money for cancer research. This year’s event raised more than $1 million, thanks in part to a contribution from Colts owner Jim Irsay, who challenged Luck and Pagano to throw footballs and knock down 16 boards in 60 seconds.

Luck was known for his passing accuracy, so it was not surprising to see the four-time Pro Bowler rise to the occasion.

Despite his desire not to return to the NFL, Luck found he enjoyed football in his life. He addressed this by coaching part-time at Palo Alto High School (which he refers to as “lower-case ‘c’ coaching”).

“Football has given me a lot. A lot. Most importantly, again, the relationships and experiences with people I adored,” Luck stated. “I believe part of me believes, and I don’t mean this in a clichéd sense, that it is my turn to give back to this game.

“Part of me realized that at some point in my life I needed to reintegrate football,” he said. “I love the game still.”