Colts Notes: Andrew Luck, Jim Irsay, Chris Ballard, Jacoby Brissett

Colts QB Andrew Luck addressed the news that he’s informed the team of his plans to retire from the NFL on Saturday in a press conference. 

“This is not an easy decision. Honestly, it’s the hardest decision of my life. But it is the right decision for me,” Luck said. “For the last four years or so, I’ve been in this cycle of injury, pain, rehab, injury, pain, rehab, and it’s been unceasing, unrelenting, both in-season and offseason, and I felt stuck in it. The only way I see out is to no longer play football.”

“I’ve been stuck in this process. I haven’t been able to live the life I want to live,” Luck said. “Taken the joy out of this game, and after 2016, when I played in pain and was unable to regularly practice, I made a vow to myself that I would not go down that path again, I find myself in a similar situation and the only way forward for me is to remove myself from football and this cycle that I’ve been in.

“I’ve come to the proverbial fork in the road. I made a vow to myself that if I ever did again, I would choose the innocence.”

• Luck says he vowed to himself that he made after the shoulder issues that he would “choose himself” if he had those same mental battles again. (Kevin Bowen)
• Luck mentioned that the “lack off progress on my ankle” had had him thinking about this for a week for two. Luck added: “I’m in pain, still in pain.” (Kevin Bowen)
• According to Luck, he has a calf strain, posterior impingement, and a high ankle sprain. (Joel A. Erickson)
• Luck also admitted that he feels “quite exhausted, quite tired.” (Kevin Bowen)
• On being booed coming off the field, Luck said: “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t hear it. Yeah, it hurt.” (Albert Breer)
• Colts owner Jim Irsay said of Luck’s decision: “We have nothing but gratitude and thankfulness for No. 12…part of our heart is broken tonight, but we know we must go forward.” (Kevin Bowen)
• Colts QB Chris Ballard said of the Colts’ fans who booed Luck while he was leaving the field: “For those people that booed tonight, it’s an emotional time and I understand that…this young man had done a lot for the city of Indianapolis, and for the Colts. Nobody died. And we will keep moving forward and we will make this city proud.” (Kevin Bowen)
• Multiple reports have said that the Colts have known about the possibility of Luck retiring dating back to March. However, Ballard told reporters that Monday was when “we all sat down and had a talk.” Ballard referred to the conversations as “emotional talks” but says he never got a sense that retirement was possible for Luck. (Kevin Bowen)
• As for Jacoby Brissett, Ballard said: “We’re not going to ask Jacoby Brissett to be Andrew Luck.” (Joel A. Erickson)
• When asked about the possibility of Luck possibly unretiring, Irsay said: “I don’t rule it out. As mysterious as it came upon us it could leave the same way.” (Nat Newell)