Source: Tom Hauck / Getty
A familiar face will be in Indianapolis on this week.
Andrew Luck, the former Colts quarterback who abruptly retired on the eve of the 2019 season, will be back in the city he once called home for the Chuckstrong Tailgate Gala, the annual fundraiser hosted by the Colts and former head coach Chuck Pagano. Luck has mostly kept out of the public eye since his shocking retirement, and finally left Indianapolis for California in 2022. The Colts, meanwhile, have spent the past few years cycling through quarterback after quarterback, with none lasting longer than one season. They hope they are finally off that carousel, with the promising but inexperienced Anthony Richardson now in the fold.
Despite the presence of Richardson, and the passage of time, Luck’s retirement is still a touchy subject in Indianapolis. Many fans still haven’t forgiven him for the timing of his announcement, which tied the Colts’ hands at quarterback and cut the legs out on a team that many expected to make a deep playoff run. The boos that rained down on Luck as he left Lucas Oil for the final time on that August evening are still fresh in everyone’s mind.
However, time and success can heal all wounds. Richardson is still unproven, but he showed enough in his rookie year to give Colts fans cause for optimism. If he pays off on the promise he has shown, eventually Luck’s retirement will become a distant memory.
If that happens, could the Colts one day enshrine Luck in their Ring of Honor?
This isn’t something that will happen soon. More time needs to pass, and more wins had. The Colts haven’t had nearly enough success for their fans to move on, at least not yet. If Richardson ends up being a franchise quarterback, and if he leads the Colts to playoff and Super Bowl glory, that could change fast. There’s no denying that Luck’s retirement was a broadside to the team, and one that they haven’t yet recovered from. There’s also no denying that Luck was an outstanding quarterback, one who played his heart out for the team despite some lackluster supporting casts, and one who represented the city well.
It won’t happen this year, or even in the next few years. But some day down the line, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Andrew Luck slip on that blue jacket and enter the Colts Ring of Honor.
During Thursday’s edition of The Ride With JMV, John spoke to Mike Chappell of CBS4 and FOX59. Mike gave his thoughts on whether Andrew Luck will make it into the Colts Ring of Honor, their offseason moves, and more!
Listen to that conversation down below, and tune into The Ride With JMV weekdays from 3-6pm on 93.5/107.5 The Fan!
