Andrew Luck's retirement remains arguably the most shocking one in NFL history, and the abruptness of the decision led to years of speculation that the former Indianapolis Colts quarterback would eventually change his mind.
But Luck, making a rare public appearance in Indianapolis for former coach Chuck Pagano's charity fundraiser Friday, said he never considered returning to football after walking away on the eve of the 2019 season.
"When I retired, that part of it was put to bed in my mind," said Luck, according to James Boyd of The Athletic. "… I certainly realize I still love this game, and I want to have it integrated in my life."
After years of battling injuries, the 2012 No. 1 overall pick retired at age 29. Luck's decision was leaked during a preseason game, and he was met with boos by the Colts crowd as he exited from the sideline to formally announce his retirement in a press conference.
Luck led the Colts to three straight playoff appearances to begin his career. Indianapolis struggled from 2015-17 as the passer dealt with injuries but looked primed to become a consistent contender again after Luck led the club to a 10-6 record while earning his fourth Pro Bowl nomination in 2018.
"We were not perfect," said Luck, according to Stephen Holder of ESPN. "I know I was not perfect. All of us wished we'd had multiple Super Bowls and done things and sort of vanquished some of those enemies that we didn't quite ever get to.
"But I could probably speak for all the other guys, and I know I could speak for myself again - it wasn't perfect, but we tried our best. We tried our hardest, and I hope we gave folks something to cheer about and something to be proud of. And I do get the sense that we (did)."
Luck has returned to football by volunteering as a coach at a Palo Alto High School in California while working toward a master's degree in education.