Colts could take action against Commanders for Andrew Luck tampering
A recent report from ESPN’s John Keim alleging the Washington Commanders reached out to retired Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck during the 2022 offseason may just land the team in some hot water.
Colts owner Jim Irsay tweeted Sunday night that any team contacting Luck would be a clear violation of the NFL’s tampering policy, and ESPN’s Stephen Holder reported that the Colts just may pursue tampering charges against the Commanders.
Despite retiring in 2019 with three years left on his contract, Luck’s rights still belong to Indianapolis. His contract was tolled after he left the organization, meaning if he ever unretires, Luck would have to finish those three years with the Colts.
Indianapolis allowed the then-29-year-old QB to keep his $24.8 million signing bonus instead of trying to recoup it, presumably keeping the relationship between the two sides in good standing in the event Luck ever decided to return to the league. Luck, now 33, has adamantly denied any interest in returning to the NFL.
Holder said a Colts source stated the team is attempting to find out the details of the conversations that took place between Washington and Luck to determine if any tampering did, in fact, take place.
Per the NFL’s anti-tampering policy, “no club, nor any person employed by or otherwise affiliated with a club, is permitted to tamper with a player who is under contract to or whose exclusive negotiating rights are held by another club.”
If the NFL finds Washington guilty of tampering, the team could face harsh penalties in the form of lost draft picks plus fines.
Past tampering violations:
Miami Dolphins: forfeited their 2023 first-round pick, their 2024 third-round pick and owner Stephen Ross was fined $1.5 million for tampering with quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Sean Payton.
Kansas City Chiefs: forfeited their 2016 third-round pick and their 2017 sixth-round pick and they were fined a total of $350,000 for tampering with receiver Jeremy Maclin.
Detroit Lions: forfeited 2011 seventh-round pick, swapped 2011 fifth-round picks with the Chiefs for tampering with safety Jarrad Page.
San Francisco 49ers: forfeited 2008 fifth-round pick, swapped 2008 third-round picks with the Chicago Bears for tempering with linebacker Lance Briggs.
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