Andrew Luck Finally Breaks His Silence on Viral Rumor

Andrew Luck (Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports)

Andrew Luck Finally Breaks His Silence on Viral Rumor

Originally posted on Total Pro Sports | By Alex Hoegler | Last updated Apr 6, 2026 5:53 PM ET

Former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck has responded to a rapidly spreading rumor that GM Chris Ballard played a significant role in his decision to retire.

In Aug. 2019, Andrew Luck stunned the NFL by announcing his retirement before Week 1. Luck, then 29, had just won Comeback Player of the Year honors after leading the Colts to a surprise playoff appearance.

Luck cited a long list of injuries and a lost desire to continue playing behind his retirement decision. The Colts franchise simply hasn’t recovered since Luck’s retirement, only making the postseason once (in 2020).

Recently, former Colts tight end Eric Ebron claimed that Luck retired because Chris Ballard gave him an ultimatum. According to Ebron, Ballard told Luck to either play through injury in 2019 or they were moving on.

But in an email to Mike Chappell of FOX 59, Luck denied Ebron’s claims and said he still has a good relationship with Ballard:

“Chris and I had a wonderful partnership, especially through my decision to retire, and we remain close. Any notion of internal pressures that influenced my decision are without merit.”

That should clarify things in Indy.

Andrew Luck Is One Of The Great “What If” NFL Stories

Andrew Luck (Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)

Luck was hyped as a generational prospect when the Colts drafted him first overall back in 2012. He lived up to the hype immediately, leading Indy to three straight playoff berths and a trip to the 2014 AFC Championship Game.

Unfortunately, Luck suffered a season-ending kidney injury in 2015. He was sidelined for all of 2017 to recover from an offseason shoulder injury. Fighting through more injuries ahead of the 2019 season, Luck understandably decided that enough was enough.

Of course, the Colts franchise must shoulder most of the blame. Luck took plenty of hits because of a terrible offensive line. By the time Indy put together a top-tier o-line in 2018? It was too little, too late, for Luck.

This article first appeared on Total Pro Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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