Former Colts quarterback Andrew Luck is returning to his alma mater to become the general manager of Stanford’s football program, per ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Luck’s new role at his old school “will place him above the entire program and is a distinct evolution from the traditional college GM,” according to Thamel.
The Cardinal are have finished with a 3-9 record in each of the last two years since hiring Troy Taylor as head coach, especially struggling on defense in both seasons. Luck will aim to bring his former program back to relevance after going 2-7 in conference play in Stanford’s first year as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Luck shocked the NFL when he announced his retirement in 2019 at the age of 29. The 2012 No. 1 overall pick was headed into the third year of a six-year, $140MM extension with the Colts – the largest in league history at signing – when he abruptly walked away from the NFL due to the mental and physical toll of his injuries in 2015 and 2017.
Luck has been linked with a return to football multiple times since his retirement, including a 2022 accusation of tampering by the Commanders. However, Luck remained steadfast in his desire to stay away from the playing field, though he repeatedly emphasized that he still loved the sport.
Now, he will have a chance to return to football in a management capacity, overseeing the entirety of the Cardinal football program. Thamel’s report indicates that Luck will have a non-traditional role at Stanford. That will certainly involve recruiting players for in classes, many of whom grew up watching Luck’s gutsy play for the Colts. His status as a respected college and pro quarterback may help Stanford lure better recruits to help turn their team around. Luck’s celebrity may also bring more NIL interest that can help the Cardinal compete with their new ACC competitors.
Career suicide or masterclass? Call it.
What’s career suicide to a guy who walked out on NFL quarterback stardom at 29 on his own terms?
More like a “Hail Mary”.. Would have rather seen him closer to the field , but he’s a smart guy with alot of “been there” pedigree ..Name recognition still matters in college football,
So I won’t spill into the grossly under qualified debate, rather, call it what it is ..
A hail Mary ..
It’ll definitely help recruiting.
It could help with sponsorships NIL money
There’s high reward and low risk here
If front office gigs don’t do much he could always find a place where in NFL or NCAAF as a QB coach offensive coordinator somewhere as a cushy gig.
I applaud luck taking a chance to turn around his former program. Wish more players would return to their Alma matters and help the programs. Would be good for college football as a whole and be fun to see old players where they made their names on the side lines as coaches.
Those are all fair points and probably true, but the program will have to deliver. The boost will be short term if Stanford takes a while to rebuild, which is likely, and Luck is going to have to ride that wave of initial recruits if it does happen to build on that success long term.
I don’t know how many of today’s kids even remember Luck at Stanford, but even if they don’t, their parents might. That can be just as big a help as the kids knowing Luck themselves.
So smart he passed up tens of millions for a few years of playing the game he claims to love.
So smart.
Sure it’s stressful…so is my job. But I get paid significantly less Drew…you’re no pioneer.
The purpose of university is employment. He quit early…and now needs a new job instead of…well…retirement
That’s completely ignoring the injury component. Some people would like to live the remainder of their lives with a functional brain and limbs
So smart that he made $110,000,000 and walked away when he felt the time was right. Who cares about the money left on the table? If managed with any common sense at all, he could take care of his grandkids, grandkids.
I’d say it’s pretty smart to walk away with $100 million in the bank, and his brains yet unscrambled.
Do you consider every pro athlete who walked away with money still on the table unintelligent? Or just the ones you consider still in their prime?
Steven Strasburg can’t even pick up his own kid because of how damaged playing baseball left him. No amount of money is going to fix that.
Walking away sometimes is the smart decision.
It’s funny students are paying high tuition while the schools are making up positions. There had never been a general manager in college football or basketball but enjoy your tuition ride
So the next update will have Andrew Luck hiring fellow alumni Richard Sherman as HC?
I am curious who has final say in hiring and firing coaches. Is it him or the A.D. as has been the norm for so long.
The prodigal son returns
Can we get a General of the Army Andrew Luck X account now?
Dudes smart as can be. It’s Stanford, Harvard West, so 6-5 is a real good season plus its his alma material. He’s following in his Dad’s footsteps being front office executive. Good luck Luck on your newest endeavor. Miss watching you play.