In a league as fast-moving and unpredictable as the NFL, few events ever truly come as a shock. The sudden and surprising retirement of Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck over the weekend was an absolute stunner.
Luck's retirement, in and of itself, isn't that surprising. The Stanford product has been plagued by injuries over the last few seasons and appears to be dealing with another significant one—a somewhat mysterious lower-leg issue.
Zak KeeferPhysical toll on Andrew Luck through 6 NFL seasons: » Torn cartilage in 2 ribs » partially torn abdomen » a lacerated kidney that left him peeing blood » at least 1 concussion » a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder » and this mysterious calf/ankle issue that led to this
At some point, health and quality of life have to trump competitive desire.