'A decision he had to make': Frank Reich on Andrew Luck's retirement three years later

It’s been three years since Andrew Luck shocked the NFL world by walking away from football two weeks before the 2019 season began. Three years since Frank Reich lost his starting quarterback. Three years since he lost the player that the Colts were building around.

Even in the immediate aftermath of the news, Reich was measured and optimistic.

“When it came to Andrew's retirement, that word paradox helps me and helps us make sense of what's going on,” he said two days after Luck’s final game. “On one hand, we can respect and honor the player and the teammate that Andrew is and was. At the same time, we can share an excitement and enthusiasm about the team we have going forward and the journey ahead of us. Ultimately, it isn't how good any one player is."

The three years since have been a roller coaster for the Colts. Jacoby Brissett took over for Luck, as the team started strong but faded down the stretch. Philip Rivers led the team back to the playoffs in 2020, before deciding to retire after just one season with the team. It looked like the team would return to the playoffs last season with Carson Wentz under center, before a disastrous final two games sent them home.

Now, it’s Matt Ryan’s turn.

Reich has no ill-will towards Luck because of his decision. When it happened, Luck’s coach said the quarterback had made the right decision. He stands by that now.

“I think he's really excited about his life and where things are headed,” Reich told Gerry Dick on the Business & Beyond podcast. “He has a clear direction on where I think he's going and what that's going to look like. Things can always change for any of us, but I think he's very excited, and I'm very happy for him, Nicole and the family.”

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Reich says his relationship with Luck and the bond that they shared as quarterbacks helped give him perspective.

“Part of that process, I felt like I was going through with him as his coach,” Reich said. “And then there was part of that process, I felt like I was going through that with him as his friend. I'll always look back on that, always be thankful for the opportunity that I had to be part of that, to be able to be talking with him and to listen to what he was going through personally, and hear him express it and how he was working through it, try to offer encouragement and counsel where I could. Ultimately it's a decision he had to make. It hurt to lose a guy who was one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. As the coach, (I) didn't like losing our starting quarterback. But as a friend, (I) really appreciate (it), and as a coach, having experienced what a player is going through in that situation, I think helps me as well.”

Reich said he keeps in touch with Luck “quite a bit” via text and phone calls.

Regarding this year’s team, Reich has high expectations.

“There's always excitement at this time of the year, but I feel a heightened sense of it from my time out in the community here and there. That's exciting. I think we all feel like this team has been built from the ground up,” he said. “Each year, we've assembled pieces that have made us better. I think this year is no exception to that. We acquired pieces in all three phases — offense, defense and special teams — that I think we feel made us a better team. What makes me excited is the quality of the leadership of our players and the maturity of them, many of these guys that we drafted as rookies — Quentin Nelson, (Shaquille) Leonard — now going into year five, their level of maturity and leadership just continues to grow.”

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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Andrew Luck retirement: Frank Reich reflects on Colts QB 3 years later