Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Andrew Luck

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Andrew Luck made an impact.

Andrew Luck is a former NFL quarterback and current general manager for Stanford Cardinal football. Highly touted during his college career at Stanford, where he won multiple awards, Luck was drafted first overall by the Indianapolis Colts in 2012. He played seven seasons in the NFL before retiring.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1996: First Freshman Starting QB

In 1996 Chad Hutchinson was the first Stanford freshman to earn the starting quarterback job since Chad Hutchinson.

2008: Attends Stanford University

In 2008, Andrew Luck began attending Stanford University on an athletic scholarship, playing football for the Cardinal.

2008: Redshirt Freshman Year

In 2008, Andrew Luck redshirted during his freshman year at Stanford.

2009: Starting Quarterback

In 2009, Andrew Luck earned the starting quarterback job at Stanford, leading the Cardinal to victories and a berth in the 2009 Sun Bowl.

September 2010: NFL-Ready Prospect

In September 2010, Tony Pauline of Sports Illustrated considered Andrew Luck "the most NFL-ready of all the draft-eligible quarterback prospects."

December 2010: Projected #1 NFL Draft Pick

In December 2010, Sporting News projected Andrew Luck as the No. 1 selection in the 2011 NFL Draft, had he entered.

2010: Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year

In 2010, Andrew Luck was named the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year, leading Stanford to a 12-1 record and an Orange Bowl victory, where he was named MVP. He also set numerous school records for passing and total offense.

January 6, 2011: Decision to Stay at Stanford

On January 6, 2011, Andrew Luck announced that he would remain at Stanford to complete his degree, foregoing the 2011 NFL draft.

May 2011: Projected Top Prospect for 2012 NFL Draft

In May 2011, Andrew Luck was unanimously projected as the top prospect for the 2012 NFL draft.

2011: 2011 College Football Season

2011 was Andrew Luck's last season playing college football.

2011: "Suck for Luck" Phenomenon

During the 2011 NFL season, some fans called for their teams to "Suck for Luck" in order to improve their chances at drafting Andrew Luck.

2011: Plays for the Cardinal

From 2008 to 2011, Andrew Luck played for the Stanford Cardinal under coaches Jim Harbaugh and David Shaw.

2011: Awards and Records

In 2011, Andrew Luck led Stanford to an 11-2 record and a Fiesta Bowl berth. He won the Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Player of the Year Award and set numerous school and conference records.

2011: College Awards

In 2011, Andrew Luck won the Maxwell Award, the Walter Camp Award, and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award for his performance in college football with Stanford.

April 26, 2012: Official Draft Day

On April 26, 2012, Andrew Luck was officially selected by the Colts as the first overall pick in the NFL draft.

July 19, 2012: Signs with Indianapolis Colts

On July 19, 2012, Andrew Luck signed a four-year contract with the Indianapolis Colts worth $22 million. In his preseason debut, his first pass was a 63-yard touchdown.

November 25, 2012: Seattle Seahawks' Regular Season Loss

On November 25, 2012, Andrew Luck's Colts handed the Seattle Seahawks their first regular-season loss since November 25, 2012.

December 23, 2012: Rookie Passing Yards Record

On December 23, 2012, Andrew Luck broke the record for most passing yards in a season by a rookie with 4,183 yards, surpassing Cam Newton's previous record.

2012: Fiesta Bowl Appearance

In 2012, Andrew Luck led Stanford to a BCS bowl, the 2012 Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma State, and a #7 ranking in the final AP Poll.

2012: Top Prospect

In May 2011, Andrew Luck was unanimously projected as the top prospect for the 2012 NFL draft.

2013: NFL Playoff Comeback

During the 2013 NFL playoffs, Andrew Luck oversaw the second-largest playoff comeback in NFL history.

2013: Reunited with Pep Hamilton

In 2013, Andrew Luck was reunited with offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton, who was his offensive coordinator and quarterback coach at Stanford. He also tied John Elway's record for the best record through 20 games for a quarterback selected first.

January 4, 2014: Luck Leads Historic Playoff Comeback

On January 4, 2014, Andrew Luck led the Colts to a historic comeback victory against the Kansas City Chiefs in the Wild Card Round, overcoming a 28-point deficit and throwing a 64-yard touchdown pass to T. Y. Hilton to win 45-44.

January 19, 2014: Luck Named to Second Pro Bowl

On January 19, 2014, Andrew Luck was named to his second Pro Bowl, replacing Russell Wilson, and was selected first by Deion Sanders.

2014: Luck Reaches 4,000 Passing Yards

In 2014, Andrew Luck became the first quarterback to reach 4,000 passing yards in 2014.

2014: Luck Sets Single-Season Touchdown Mark

In 2014, Andrew Luck broke his single-season touchdown mark in the Colts Week 9 game against the New York Giants, throwing four to bring his total to 26. He also became the first quarterback in 2014 to reach 3,000 passing yards.

2014: AFC Championship and Pro Bowl

In 2014, Andrew Luck helped the Colts reach the AFC Championship Game. He also earned Pro Bowl honors and led the league in passing touchdowns in 2014.

2014: Luck Sets Single-Season Completion Record

In a Week 16 game, Andrew Luck set a new record in single-season completions, surpassing his previous mark of 380 in 2014.

2015: Luck Leads League in Passing Touchdowns

In 2015, Andrew Luck led the league in passing touchdowns for the first time in his career.

2016: Luck Signs Extension and Wins Player of the Week

In 2016, Andrew Luck signed a six-year extension with the Colts and earned the AFC Offensive Player of the Week award after a strong performance against the New York Jets.

2016: Fifth-Year Option Picked Up and Injury

In 2016, the Colts picked up the fifth-year option on Andrew Luck's contract. He also missed games due to a shoulder injury and later suffered a lacerated kidney and torn abdominal muscle, ending his season prematurely.

2017: Injury Struggles

In 2017, Andrew Luck missed the entire season due to injuries.

2017: Luck Placed on Injured Reserve

In 2017, after undergoing shoulder surgery, Andrew Luck was placed on injured reserve, ruling him out for the entire season. He also traveled to Europe for additional treatment on his shoulder.

February 7, 2018: No Additional Surgery Needed

On February 7, 2018, Colts' general manager Chris Ballard stated that Andrew Luck would not need an additional surgery on his shoulder.

September 9, 2018: Luck Returns to the Field

On September 9, 2018, Andrew Luck started Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals, marking his first game in 616 days after recovering from injury.

2019: Comeback Player of the Year

At the end of the 2018 season, in 2019, Andrew Luck was named Comeback Player of the Year by the Pro Football Writers Association.

2019: Retirement from the NFL

Citing injuries, Andrew Luck retired from the NFL ahead of the 2019 season.

2023: Volunteer Coaching at Palo Alto High School

In 2023, Andrew Luck began serving as a part-time volunteer coach at nearby Palo Alto High School, working with the school's junior varsity team.

November 2024: Became General Manager of Stanford Cardinal Football

In November 2024, Andrew Luck became the general manager of Stanford Cardinal football after returning to school and completing his Master's degree.

2024: Return to Stanford

In 2024, Andrew Luck returned to Stanford as the Cardinal's general manager.

March 25, 2025: Fired Troy Taylor and Hired Frank Reich

On March 25, 2025, as one of his first acts as GM, Andrew Luck fired head football coach Troy Taylor after two investigations into the latter's conduct towards female staffers. He then brought in Frank Reich to replace Taylor as Stanford's new coach on an interim basis.