Andrew Luck facts for kids
Luck with the Indianapolis Colts in 2018
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| Stanford Cardinal | |||||||||||||||||
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| Position: | General manager | ||||||||||||||||
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| Born: | September 12, 1989 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 240 lb (109 kg) | ||||||||||||||||
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| High school: | Stratford (Houston, Texas) |
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| College: | Stanford (2008–2011) | ||||||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2012 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1 | ||||||||||||||||
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College Football Hall of Fame
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Andrew Austen Luck (born September 12, 1989) is an American football executive. He used to be a professional quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons with the Indianapolis Colts. Andrew Luck was a top player in college at Stanford. He won several major awards, including the Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award, and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. In 2012, the Colts chose him as the first player picked in the NFL Draft.
Luck quickly made a big impact. In his first year, he set new records for rookie quarterbacks. He helped the Colts go from a 2–14 record to 11–5 and reach the playoffs. He was known as a dual-threat quarterback, meaning he was good at both passing and running. He led the Colts to win their division two years in a row. In the playoffs, he led one of the biggest comebacks in NFL history. He also helped the Colts reach the AFC Championship Game in 2014. Luck was chosen for the Pro Bowl three times in his first three years. He also led the league in passing touchdowns in 2014.
For the next three seasons, Luck faced many injuries. He missed all of the 2017 season because of them. But he came back strong in 2018, playing very well and leading the Colts back to the playoffs. Because of his great return, he won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award. He was also picked for his fourth Pro Bowl. However, due to his ongoing injuries, Luck decided to retire from football before the 2019 season. In 2024, he returned to Stanford University to work as the general manager for their football program. He was also added to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2022.
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Early Life and Family
Andrew Luck was born in Washington, D.C. His father, Oliver Luck, was also a football player and later worked as an executive in sports. Andrew grew up as a Roman Catholic.
Because his father worked for a football league, Andrew spent parts of his childhood in London, England, and Frankfurt, Germany. He is the oldest of four children. His sisters, Mary Ellen and Emily, and his brother, Addison, also played sports. Andrew went to school in London and Houston, Texas. He loves soccer because of his time in London.
In Houston, Andrew went to Stratford High School. He was a great player there, throwing for over 7,000 yards and running for over 2,000 yards. He was also co-valedictorian of his graduating class in 2008, meaning he was one of the top students. Many colleges wanted him to play for them, but he chose to go to Stanford University.
College Football Career
Andrew Luck played for the Stanford Cardinal from 2008 to 2011. He played under coaches Jim Harbaugh and David Shaw.
Starting at Stanford
After sitting out his first year (called redshirting), Luck became the starting quarterback in 2009. He was the first freshman at Stanford to start at quarterback since 1996. In his first season, Luck led Stanford to big wins against highly ranked teams. He threw for 2,575 yards and helped the team get to the Sun Bowl. He was one of the best passers in his conference.
Becoming a Star Player
In 2010, Luck became one of the best players in the country. He was named the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year. He led Stanford to a 12–1 record and a win in the Orange Bowl. Luck was named the Orange Bowl MVP. He set new Stanford records for touchdown passes (32) and total yards (3,791). He also set a record for rushing yards by a Stanford quarterback (453).
Many experts thought Luck would be the first player picked in the 2011 NFL Draft. But he decided to stay at Stanford to finish his degree.
Final College Season and Awards
In 2011, Luck led Stanford to another great season, with an 11–2 record. He won the Maxwell Award and the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award. He finished second for the Heisman Trophy for the second year in a row. He was named a First Team All-American. Luck also won the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year award again. He set new Stanford records for career touchdown passes (82) and career total yards (10,387). He also became Stanford's all-time leader in wins for a starting quarterback.
Luck's time at Stanford changed the football program. Before him, Stanford rarely won more than 10 games in a season. With Luck, they won 12 games in 2010 and 23 games over two years (2010-2011). Stanford also reached its first-ever BCS bowl game with him. In 2022, Andrew Luck was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Professional Football Career
Before the 2012 NFL Draft, many people thought Andrew Luck was the best quarterback prospect in a long time. Some fans even hoped their teams would lose games on purpose to get the chance to pick him. This was called "Suck for Luck." The Indianapolis Colts ended up with the first pick in the draft. They chose Andrew Luck.
Rookie Season (2012)
In July 2012, Luck signed a four-year contract with the Indianapolis Colts. He quickly became their starting quarterback. In his first regular season game, he threw his first touchdown pass. Luck led the Colts to an amazing 11 wins, a record for a rookie quarterback picked first in the draft. The team had only won 2 games the year before. He also broke the record for most passing yards by a rookie in a single season, with 4,374 yards. Luck led many game-winning drives in the final minutes, showing his ability to perform under pressure.
Second Season (2013)
In 2013, Luck continued to lead the Colts. He defeated his former college coach, Jim Harbaugh, in a game against the San Francisco 49ers. He also led the Colts to a big win over the undefeated Seattle Seahawks. Luck helped the Colts win their division championship.
In the playoffs, Luck led a historic comeback against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Colts were down by 28 points, but Luck led them to a 45–44 victory. This was the second-biggest comeback in NFL playoff history. The Colts later lost to the New England Patriots. Luck was named to his second Pro Bowl.
Third Season (2014)
Luck had an outstanding 2014 season. He threw for over 300 yards in many games. He set a new career high with 5 touchdown passes in one game. Luck also became the first quarterback in 2014 to reach 4,000 passing yards. He broke Peyton Manning's record for most passing yards by a Colts quarterback in a single season, with 4,761 yards. He also threw 40 touchdowns, becoming only the eighth quarterback in NFL history to do so in one season.
Luck led the Colts to the playoffs for the third year in a row. They won their Wild Card game against the Cincinnati Bengals. They also beat the Denver Broncos in the Divisional Round. However, they lost to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship. Luck led the league in passing touchdowns for the 2014 season. He was named to his third Pro Bowl.
Injury Struggles (2015–2017)
The 2015 season was tough for Luck due to injuries. He missed games for the first time in his career because of a shoulder injury. Later, he suffered a lacerated kidney and a partially torn abdominal muscle. These injuries caused him to miss the rest of the 2015 season. The Colts did not make the playoffs that year.
In 2016, Luck signed a large contract extension, making him the highest-paid player in the league at the time. He played well, throwing for over 4,200 yards and 31 touchdowns. However, he had shoulder surgery after the season. This surgery caused him to miss all of the 2017 season. He spent a lot of time recovering and getting treatment for his shoulder.
Comeback Season (2018)
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Luck returned to play in Week 1 of the 2018 season, after 616 days. He showed his strength by throwing for many yards and touchdowns. After a slow start, Luck and the Colts went on a five-game winning streak. He had many games with at least three passing touchdowns. Luck led the Colts to win nine of their last ten games, earning a spot in the playoffs.
He finished the season with 4,593 passing yards and 39 touchdowns. The Colts beat the Houston Texans in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs. They then lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round. For his amazing return, Luck was named the NFL Comeback Player of the Year. He was also chosen for his fourth Pro Bowl.
Retirement
On August 24, 2019, Andrew Luck announced his retirement from football at age 29. He explained that the constant cycle of injuries and rehabilitation had taken the joy out of the game for him. He said it was the hardest decision of his life but the right one for him. Many people were surprised because he was still considered one of the best players in the league.
After retiring, Luck lived a very private life. He later shared that his decision was also influenced by a desire to focus on his personal life and family. In 2022, he moved back to the San Francisco Bay Area. In 2023, he started coaching part-time at Palo Alto High School. In November 2024, he became the general manager for the Stanford Cardinal football program.
NFL Career Statistics
Luck played 86 regular season games, starting all of them. He had a record of 53 wins and 33 losses as a starting quarterback.
- Passing Yards: 23,671
- Passing Touchdowns: 171
- Completion Percentage: 60.8%
- Rushing Yards: 1,590
- Rushing Touchdowns: 14
In the playoffs, he played 8 games, starting all of them. He had a record of 4 wins and 4 losses.
- Passing Yards: 2,254
- Passing Touchdowns: 12
Awards and Highlights
- 4× Pro Bowl (2012, 2013, 2014, 2018)
- NFL passing touchdowns leader (2014)
- NFL Comeback Player of the Year (2018)
- 5× AFC Offensive Player of the Week
Records and Achievements
- 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 playoff games (1,703)
- First quarterback to throw for 370 yards or more, 4 touchdowns, and have a completion percentage 70 percent or above in consecutive games.
Colts Team Records
- Most passing yards in a single season (4,761 in 2014)
- Most passing yards by a rookie quarterback in a single season (4,374)
- Most passing touchdowns by a rookie quarterback in a single game (4)
Personal Life
On June 17, 2012, Andrew Luck graduated from Stanford University with a degree in architectural design. He also received an award for his athletic performance, leadership, and academic success.
Luck is known for being a big reader. He even suggested books to his teammates. He is also known for being very polite on the field. When opponents tackled him, he would often congratulate them on a good hit!
On March 31, 2019, Luck married his longtime girlfriend, Nicole Pechanec. They had their first child, a daughter named Lucy, in November 2019. Luck is a very private person and does not use social media. He enjoys cycling. In 2022, he went back to Stanford to study for a master's degree in education.
In the Media
In 2013, Andrew Luck appeared as himself on the comedy TV show Parks and Recreation.
There is a funny Twitter account called "Capt. Andrew Luck" that pretends to be him as an American Civil War soldier. This became a popular internet meme. Luck even dressed up as the character on a TV show in 2023.
See Also
- List of first overall National Football League draft picks
