Andrew Luck facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Andrew Luck

Luck with the Indianapolis Colts in 2018
Stanford Cardinal
Position:	General manager
Personal information
Born:	(1989-09-12) September 12, 1989 (age 35) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Height:	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:	240 lb (109 kg)
Career information
High school:	Stratford (Houston, Texas)
College:	Stanford (2008–2011)
NFL Draft:	2012 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1
Career history
As player:
Indianapolis Colts (2012)
As coach:
Palo Alto HS (CA) (2023–2024) Assistant coach
As executive:
Stanford (2024–present) General manager
Career highlights and awards
NFL Comeback Player of the Year (2018) 4× Pro Bowl (2012–2014, 2018) NFL passing touchdowns leader (2014) Maxwell Award (2011) Walter Camp Award (2011) Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award (2011) First-team All-American (2011) Second-team All-American (2010) 2× Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year (2010, 2011) 2× First-team All-Pac-12 (2010, 2011) NFL records Most passing yards in a rookie season: 4,374 Most pass attempts per game (career): 38.3
Career NFL statistics
Passing attempts: 3,290 Passing completions: 2,000 Completion percentage: 60.8% TD–INT: 171–83 Passing yards: 23,671 Passer rating: 89.5 Rushing yards: 1,590 Rushing touchdowns: 14
Player stats at PFR
College Football Hall of Fame

Andrew Austen Luck (born September 12, 1989) is an American football executive. He is currently the general manager for the Stanford Cardinal. Before this, he was a professional quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played for seven seasons with the Indianapolis Colts.

Luck was a highly praised player during his college football career at Stanford. He won several awards, including the Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award, and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm awards. The Colts chose him as the very first player in the 2012 NFL draft.

In his first NFL year, Luck quickly made a big impact. He set new records for rookie quarterbacks. He led the Colts, who had a very tough season the year before, to an 11–5 record and a spot in the playoffs. He was known as a dual-threat quarterback because he was good at both passing and running.

Luck led the Colts to win their division two years in a row. In the playoffs, he helped the Colts make one of the biggest comebacks in NFL history in 2013. He also led them to the 2014 AFC Championship Game. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl in his first three years. In 2014, he led the league in passing touchdowns.

Over the next few seasons, Luck faced many injuries. He missed the entire 2017 season because of them. He came back strong in 2018, setting new personal bests and leading the Colts back to the playoffs. For his amazing return, he was named Comeback Player of the Year. He was also chosen for his fourth Pro Bowl.

However, because of his ongoing injuries, Luck decided to retire before the 2019 season. In 2024, he returned to Stanford University as the general manager for their football team. He was honored by being inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2022.

Andrew Luck's Early Life and Family

Andrew Luck was born in Washington, D.C. His parents are Kathy and Oliver Luck. Oliver Luck was also a football player and later worked as an executive in sports. He was a quarterback for the Houston Oilers in the NFL.

Andrew grew up as a Roman Catholic and was active in his church's youth group. Because his father worked for football leagues, Andrew spent parts of his early childhood in London and Frankfurt, Germany. He went to the Frankfurt International School there.

Andrew is the oldest of four children. He has three siblings: Mary Ellen, Emily, and Addison. His sister Mary Ellen played volleyball at Stanford. Emily also went to Stanford, and Addison played soccer at Yale. Andrew went to The American School in London while living in London. He became a fan of soccer because of his time there. He also supports the Houston Dynamo FC soccer team. His father was the first president and general manager of that club.

The Luck family moved back to Texas. Andrew went to Stratford High School in Houston. In high school, he threw for over 7,000 yards and 53 touchdowns. He also ran for over 2,000 yards. Andrew was also a co-valedictorian of his graduating class in 2008. This means he was one of the top students. Many colleges wanted him to play football for them. He chose to go to Stanford University.

Andrew Luck's College Football Career

Andrew Luck received a scholarship to attend Stanford University. He played for the Cardinal from 2008 to 2011. His coaches were Jim Harbaugh and David Shaw.

2009 College Season

Luck did not play in 2008, which is called a redshirt year. In 2009, he became the starting quarterback. He was the first freshman at Stanford to start as quarterback since 1996.

In his first season, Luck led Stanford to big wins against top teams like Oregon and USC. He helped them get to the 2009 Sun Bowl. He threw for 2,575 yards that year. Luck also had 2,929 total yards, which was the fifth-highest in Stanford history. He was a top player in the Pac-10 conference for passing efficiency. Luck injured a finger on his throwing hand in the last game of the season. He had surgery and did not play in the Sun Bowl.

2010 College Season

In 2010, Luck became one of the best players in the country. He was named the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year. He was also chosen for the All-Pac-10 First Team. Luck led Stanford to a great 12–1 record. They finished ranked #4 in the country. They also won the Orange Bowl.

Luck was named the Orange Bowl MVP. He threw four touchdown passes in Stanford's 40–12 win. He led the Pac-10 in passing efficiency for the second year in a row. He also led the conference in total offense, passing yards, and touchdown passes. Luck set new Stanford records for touchdown passes (32) and total offense (3,791 yards). He also set records for completion percentage (70.7%) and pass efficiency rating (170.2).

After this season, many experts thought Luck would be the first player chosen in the 2011 NFL Draft. However, he decided to stay at Stanford to finish his degree.

2011 College Season

In 2011, Luck led Stanford to an 11–2 record. They played in a major bowl game, the 2012 Fiesta Bowl. They finished ranked #7 in the country. Luck won the Maxwell Award and the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award. He was also the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy for the second year in a row.

He was named a First Team All-American. He also won the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year award again. This made him only the fifth player to win that award twice. Luck set new Stanford records for career touchdown passes (82) and single-season touchdown passes (37). He also became Stanford's all-time leader in total offense with 10,387 yards. Luck became the winningest starting quarterback in Stanford history with 31 wins. He also set Pac-12 records for career passing efficiency and completion percentage.

College Statistics

Stanford Cardinal
Season	Passing							Rushing					Receiving			Total Yards
	Cmp	Att	Yds	Pct	TD	Int	Rtg	Att	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	Rec	Yds	Avg
2008	Redshirt
2009	162	288	2,575	56.3	13	4	143.5	61	354	5.8	31	2	1	11	11.0	2,929
2010	263	372	3,338	70.7	32	8	170.2	55	453	8.2	58	3	0	0	0.0	3,791
2011	288	404	3,517	71.3	37	10	169.7	47	150	3.2	17	2	1	13	13.0	3,667
Career	713	1,064	9,430	67.0	82	22	162.8	163	957	5.9	58	7	2	24	12.0	10,387

College Awards and Honors

2011 season

• First-team All American
• Maxwell Award
• Walter Camp Player of the Year Award
• Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
• Heisman Trophy runner-up
• Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year
• First-team All-Pac-12

Luck's Impact on Stanford Football

Andrew Luck helped Stanford football reach new heights.

• Before Luck, Stanford had won more than 10 games in a season only three times. With Luck as quarterback, they won 12 games in 2010.
• Stanford had never won more than 18 games in two years. With Luck, they won 23 games in 2010–2011.
• Stanford spent 24 weeks in the top ten national rankings in 2010 and 2011. Before Luck, they had only been in the top ten for three weeks since 1971.
• Stanford earned its first-ever major bowl game appearance in 2010, and a second in 2011.

In 2012, a special fund was created at Stanford. It named the offensive coordinator position the "Andrew Luck Director of Offense." Luck was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2022. He was also inducted into the Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame in 2023.

Andrew Luck's Professional Football Career

Before the 2011 NFL Draft, many experts thought Andrew Luck was the best quarterback prospect. He was even compared to legendary quarterbacks like Peyton Manning and John Elway. Luck decided to stay in college for his junior year.

During the 2011 NFL season, some fans wanted their teams to lose games on purpose. This was so their team would get the first pick in the draft and be able to choose Luck. This idea was called "Suck for Luck." The Indianapolis Colts ended up with the worst record. This meant they got the first pick in the 2012 NFL draft.

On April 26, 2012, the Colts officially chose Andrew Luck as the first overall pick. He was the fourth Stanford quarterback to be picked first in the NFL Draft.

2012 NFL Season: Rookie Year

Luck playing against the Ravens in 2013

On July 19, 2012, Luck signed a four-year contract with the Indianapolis Colts. He became the Colts' starting quarterback. In his first regular-season game, Luck threw his first touchdown pass. The Colts lost that game. The next week, he got his first NFL win. He led the Colts to a game-winning drive against the Minnesota Vikings.

Luck led the Colts to an overtime win against the Tennessee Titans in Week 8. In Week 9, he threw for 433 yards against the Miami Dolphins. This set a new record for most passing yards by a rookie quarterback in a single game. He sent his jersey from that game to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

In Week 13, Luck led a big comeback against the Detroit Lions. The Colts were losing by 12 points with less than three minutes left. Luck threw a touchdown pass with four seconds left to win the game. This win gave Luck his eighth win of the season. This was the most wins by a rookie quarterback drafted first in NFL history.

Luck started every game in his rookie season. He led the Colts to 11 wins. This was a huge improvement from their 2–14 record the year before. He also led them to the playoffs. On December 23, 2012, Luck broke the record for most passing yards in a season by a rookie. He finished with 4,374 yards.

2013 NFL Season: Playoff Comeback

Luck signing autographs for fans at the 2013 Pro Bowl

In 2013, Luck was reunited with his college coach, Pep Hamilton, who became the Colts' offensive coordinator. In Week 1, Luck led another comeback win against the Oakland Raiders. In Week 3, he defeated his former Stanford coach, Jim Harbaugh, whose team was the San Francisco 49ers.

On October 6, Luck led the Colts to a 34–28 win over the undefeated Seattle Seahawks. This was his ninth career fourth-quarter comeback. In Week 7, Luck faced his predecessor, Peyton Manning, who was now with the Denver Broncos. The Colts won 39–33, ending Denver's 17-game winning streak. Luck earned the AFC Offensive Player of the Week award for his performance.

In Week 14, the Colts won their division championship. This was the first time under Luck. In Week 16, Luck passed Peyton Manning for second place in passing yards for a quarterback through two seasons. In Week 17, he broke Cam Newton's record for most passing yards in the first two seasons of a career.

Luck played his first home playoff game on January 4, 2014, against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Colts were losing by 28 points. Luck led a historic comeback, throwing a 64-yard touchdown pass to T. Y. Hilton to take the lead. The Colts won 45–44. This was the second-biggest comeback in NFL playoff history. The Colts later lost to the New England Patriots in the next round. Luck was named to his second Pro Bowl.

2014 NFL Season: Leading the League

Luck playing against the Bengals in 2014

Luck started the 2014 season with a game against Peyton Manning's Broncos. The Colts lost, but Luck threw for 370 yards. In Week 3, he threw for 370 yards and 4 touchdowns against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He won the AFC Offensive Player of the Week award for this game.

In Week 4, Luck became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for over 370 yards, 4 touchdowns, and have a completion percentage of 70% or higher in two games in a row. He continued his strong play, leading the league in passing yards and touchdowns through Week 6.

Luck about to throw a pass against the Browns in 2014

Luck continued to play well in Week 7, throwing for over 300 yards for the fifth game in a row. This tied a Colts record set by Peyton Manning. In Week 9, Luck broke his own record for single-season touchdowns. He also became the first quarterback in 2014 to reach 3,000 passing yards.

In Week 13, Luck threw a career-high 5 touchdown passes. He also became the first quarterback to reach 4,000 passing yards in 2014. In Week 14, Luck broke Peyton Manning's record for most passing yards by a quarterback in their first 3 seasons. He led another fourth-quarter comeback to win the game.

The Colts made the playoffs for the third year in a row under Luck. He also earned his third straight Pro Bowl selection. In Week 17, Luck broke Peyton Manning's franchise record for passing yards in a single season. He also became the 8th quarterback in NFL history to throw for 40 or more touchdowns in a single season.

In the playoffs, Luck led the Colts to a win over the Cincinnati Bengals. They then defeated the Denver Broncos in the next round. However, the Colts lost to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game. Luck led the league in passing touchdowns for the first time in his career that season.

2015 NFL Season: Injuries Begin

Luck at training camp in 2015

In 2015, Luck missed the first two games of his career due to a shoulder injury. He returned in Week 6. In November, it was announced that Luck would miss more time with a kidney injury and a partially torn abdominal muscle. These injuries happened during a game against the Denver Broncos. The recovery took longer than expected, and Luck did not play for the rest of the season. The Colts did not make the playoffs that year.

2016 NFL Season: Return to Form

On June 29, 2016, Luck signed a big six-year contract extension. In Week 13, he threw for 278 yards and four touchdowns against the New York Jets. This earned him the AFC Offensive Player of the Week award. In the 2016 season, Luck threw for 4,240 yards and 31 touchdowns. He also had a career-high completion percentage of 63.5%. He missed one game due to a concussion. After the season, Luck had surgery on his right (throwing) shoulder. This injury had been bothering him since 2015.

2017 NFL Season: Missed Due to Injury

After his shoulder surgery, Luck did not play in training camp or the preseason. It was announced that he would miss regular season games. On November 2, 2017, the Colts placed Luck on injured reserve. This meant he would miss the entire 2017 season. He traveled to Europe and Los Angeles to get treatment and work on his throwing.

2018 NFL Season: Comeback Player of the Year

Luck passing against the Redskins in 2018

Luck started Week 1 on September 9, 2018. This was his first game in 616 days. He threw for 319 yards and two touchdowns. In Week 4, Luck threw for four touchdowns and a career-high 464 yards. He led the Colts back from a big deficit, but they lost in overtime.

After a tough 1–5 start to the season, Luck and the Colts went on a five-game winning streak. In Week 7, he threw for four touchdowns. In Week 11, he completed 23 of 29 passes for 297 yards and three touchdowns. This earned him AFC Offensive Player of the Week. In Week 12, Luck had his eighth game in a row with at least three passing touchdowns.

In Week 16, Luck led another double-digit comeback against the New York Giants. This was his 21st fourth-quarter comeback. The Colts won, putting them in a good position for the playoffs. Luck also set a new record for single-season completions in that game. The Colts defeated the Titans in Week 17, earning a playoff spot. They finished the season winning nine of their last ten games.

Luck finished his comeback season with 4,593 passing yards, 39 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions. In the playoffs, Luck and the Colts defeated the Houston Texans. In what ended up being his final game, the Colts lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the next round. At the end of the season, Luck was named to his fourth Pro Bowl. He also received the National Football League Comeback Player of the Year Award.

Retirement from Football

Luck speaking at a Colts fan event in May 2019.

On August 24, 2019, Andrew Luck announced his retirement from football. He was 29 years old and had played for seven seasons. He said that the constant cycle of injuries and rehabilitation had taken the joy out of the game for him. He felt he could not live the life he wanted to live while playing.

Many people consider Luck to be one of the best professional athletes to retire during their prime. In December 2022, Luck explained more about his decision. He said that while injuries were a big part of it, he also wanted to focus on his relationship with his wife, Nicole. He felt that the demands of being a top NFL quarterback were causing problems in his marriage. He chose his marriage over his football career.

Andrew Luck's NFL Career Statistics

Regular Season

Postseason

In the 2013 Wildcard Round, Luck recovered a teammate's fumble for a two-yard touchdown.

Awards and Highlights

• 4× Pro Bowl (2012, 2013, 2014, 2018)
• NFL passing touchdowns leader (2014)
• NFL Comeback Player of the Year (2018)
• 2× AFC Offensive Player of the Month (November 2014, November 2018)
• 5× AFC Offensive Player of the Week (Week 9, 2012; Week 7, 2013; Week 3, 2014; Week 13, 2016; Week 11, 2018)
• 3× Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week (Week 3, 2012; Week 5, 2012; Week 8, 2012)

Records and Achievements

Luck's jersey exhibited at the Pro Football Hall of Fame

• Most passing yards by a rookie in a single season (4,374)
• Most game-winning drives by a rookie quarterback (7)
• Most passing yards for a quarterback through his first 5 postseason games (1,703)
• Most consecutive 350-yard passing games on the road (5)
• First quarterback to throw for more than 350 yards in five consecutive road games
• First quarterback to throw for 370 yards or more, 4 touchdowns, and have a completion percentage 70 percent or above in consecutive games
• Third player to throw for 3,000 yards in the first nine games, alongside Peyton Manning and Drew Brees

Colts Team Records

• Most passing yards in a single season (4,761, 2014)
• Most passing yards by a rookie quarterback in a single season (4,374)
• Most passing yards by a rookie quarterback in a single game (433)
• Most pass attempts by a rookie quarterback in a single season (627)
• Most pass completions by a rookie quarterback in a single season (339)
• Most pass completions by a rookie quarterback in a single game (31)
• Most passing touchdowns by a rookie quarterback in a single game (4)

Andrew Luck's Administrative Career

After retiring from playing football, Andrew Luck went back to school. He completed his Master's degree. In November 2024, he became the general manager for Stanford University's football team.

As one of his first actions as GM, Luck made a big change. He hired Frank Reich to be Stanford's new coach. Reich had been Luck's coach in Indianapolis during his last year in the NFL.

Andrew Luck's Personal Life

On June 17, 2012, Luck graduated from Stanford University. He earned a bachelor's degree in architectural design. He also received the Al Masters Award. This award is given to an athlete each year for high standards in sports, leadership, and academics.

Luck enjoys reading. He was known as "the Colts' very own librarian" because he would suggest books to his teammates. He is a fan of historical fiction books.

On the field, Luck was known for being polite to his opponents. If he was tackled, he would often congratulate the player who tackled him.

On March 31, 2019, Luck married his longtime girlfriend, Nicole Pechanec. They announced in June 2019 that they were expecting their first child. Their daughter, Lucy, was born in November 2019.

After he retired, Luck continued to live in Indianapolis with his family for a while. In 2022, he moved to the Bay Area when he returned to Stanford. He is known for being a very private person and does not use social media. He also enjoys cycling. In 2023, Luck started volunteering as an assistant coach for the junior varsity team at Palo Alto High School.

Andrew Luck in the Media

Luck appeared as himself on the comedy TV series Parks and Recreation in 2013. He was on the show with some of his Colts teammates. In 2025, Luck, along with other retired athletes, voiced himself in an episode of The Simpsons.

Starting in 2015, a funny Twitter account began to pretend to be Andrew Luck. It showed him as an old-fashioned soldier from the American Civil War. This became a popular internet meme. Luck even appeared on a post-game TV show dressed as this character in 2023. Luck has said he likes the account and wishes he had the same humor.

Images for kids

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  Andrew Luck at the Big Game against Cal in 2009

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  Luck after the Big Game between Stanford and Cal in 2010

See also

In Spanish: Andrew Luck para niños