The Indianapolis Colts Are Not Going To Go After $24.8 Million Owed By Andrew Luck In Signing Bonuses After He Announced Retirement

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Last night Colts franchise QB Andrew Luck shocked the NFL world when he abruptly retired from football after being “mentally worn down” following years of injury and rehabbing.

Luck held an emotional impromptu press conference after the Colts-Bears preseason game to talk about his decision to retire.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter the Colts will not pursue $24.8 milluon owed by Luck in signing bonuses and are allowing him to keep the money as a parting gift for all the years of service he had with the team.

Via ESPN

Luck could have owed the Colts $12.8 million as a pro-rated portion of the $32 million signing bonus the Colts gave him when he signed his five-year extension in 2016, and another $12 million in roster bonuses he was paid in March. But Indianapolis waived its right to recoup the money and is allowing Luck to keep it all, after the poundings he’s taken and all he’s given to the franchise. It is, in an official way, his parting gift.

Colts owner Jim Irsay, who tried to Luck out of retirement, seemed to understand why the QB was leaving the game.

It’s a tough thing, look it, he’s leaving $450 million on the table potentially,” \ “I mean, a half a billion dollars, and he’s saying, ‘You know what, I want to have my integrity. I have to be able to look (wide receiver) T.Y. (Hilton) in the eye, look my teammates, look coach, look (GM) Chris (Ballard) and say, I’m all in,’ and he just didn’t feel he could do that.”

This is real nice of the Colts considering how the Lions forced Calvin Johnson to pay back his $3 million signing bonus when he retired.

Jorge Alonso BroBible avatar
Brobible sports editor. Jorge is a Miami native and lifelong Heat fan. He has been covering the NBA, MLB and NFL professionally for almost 10 years, specializing in digital media.