Indianapolis Colts star quarterback Andrew Luck announced his retirement over the weekend. ESPN staff writer Bill Barnwell called the 29 year old’s decision “the most shocking retirement American pro sports has seen since Michael Jordan left the NBA in 1993.” Luck chose to leave the NFL in the prime of his career due to a number of injuries. While fans booed Luck as he left the field, he has received support from a number of NFL greats, including Troy Aikman, Bo Jackson, and Aaron Rodgers.
Luck’s retirement raises questions about the future of the sport: will this be a spark for change? Will more pro players retire early? Will more kids decide not to pursue football at all? The Rensselaer City School District had to cancel its varsity football program for the 2019 season because it didn’t have enough players.
Our panel discusses the implications of Luck’s retirement. Our guests:
- Mike Catalana, sports director for 13WHAM News
- Daniel Kelley, former college football player
- Dr. Mike Maloney, professor of orthopaedics, chief of the Sports Medicine Division, and director of the Center for Human Athleticism and Musculoskeletal Performance and Prevention at UR Medicine