Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck stunned the sports world when he unexpectedly retired from the NFL last month. In an emotional press conference at Lucas Oil Stadium, the 29-year-old recounted how his numerous injuries—torn cartilage in multiple ribs, a partially torn abdomen, at least one concussion, a lacerated kidney, a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder, and a nagging calf/ankle issue—led to a mental fatigue that ultimately forced him to walk away seven years after he was the first overall pick of the 2012 draft.
Injuries are mentally exhausting, and even healthy athletes can find themselves drained because of the high-pressure situations in which they perform.