History of Andrew Luck in Timeline

Andrew Luck is a former NFL quarterback and current general manager for Stanford Cardinal. He played seven seasons for the Indianapolis Colts after being drafted first overall in 2012. Luck had a celebrated college career at Stanford, winning multiple awards including the Maxwell and Walter Camp awards in 2011. Considered a top prospect, his NFL career was marked by both high expectations and premature retirement due to injuries.

Sections (4)

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

1954: Bobby Garrett Selected First Overall

In 1954, Bobby Garrett was the first Stanford quarterback to be selected first overall in the NFL draft.

1971: Jim Plunkett Selected First Overall

In 1971, Jim Plunkett was the second Stanford quarterback to be selected first overall in the NFL draft.

1983: John Elway Selected First Overall

In 1983, John Elway was the third Stanford quarterback to be selected first overall in the NFL draft.

1983: Comparison to John Elway in 1983

In 2011, Mel Kiper Jr. called Andrew Luck the best quarterback prospect since John Elway in 1983.

September 12, 1989: Andrew Luck's Birth

On September 12, 1989, Andrew Austen Luck was born. He would later become a professional football quarterback and executive.

1996: First Stanford Freshman Starting Quarterback Since Chad Hutchinson

In 1996, Chad Hutchinson became the first Stanford freshman to earn the starting quarterback job, a feat that was repeated by Andrew Luck in 2009.

1998: Comparison to Peyton Manning in 1998

In 2011, Tony Pauline described Andrew Luck as the "best quarterback since Peyton Manning" in 1998.

December 2008: Shutout Victory Over Tennessee Titans

The shutout victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 7 was the first for Indianapolis since a 23–0 win over the Tennessee Titans in December 2008.

2008: Attended Stanford University

In 2008, Andrew Luck attended Stanford University on an athletic scholarship.

2008: High School Graduation and Recruitment

In 2008, Andrew Luck graduated as co-valedictorian from Stratford High School. He was a four-star recruit and played in the 2008 U.S. Army All-American Bowl. He chose Stanford over other university offers.

2008: Redshirting Freshman Year

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

2009: Starting Quarterback for Stanford

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: Considered Most NFL-Ready Quarterback Prospect

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

December 2010: Projected #1 Pick in 2011 NFL Draft

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, was unanimously selected to the All-Pac-10 First Team, led Stanford to a 12-1 record, won the Orange Bowl MVP, and set multiple school records.

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, despite being eligible for the 2011 NFL draft.

May 2011: Unanimously Projected as Top Prospect

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

2011: Played for Stanford through 2011

Andrew Luck played football for the Stanford Cardinal from 2008 through 2011.

2011: Awards and Records in 2011

In 2011, Andrew Luck won the Maxwell Award and the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, was the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy, was named First Team All America, Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year, First Team All-Pac-12, set new Stanford records for career touchdown passes and career total offense, became Stanford's all-time leader in wins and winning percentage by a starting quarterback, and broke Pac-12 records for career passing efficiency rating and career completion percentage.

2011: Cam Newton's Rookie Record

In 2011, Cam Newton set a record with 432 passing yards in a game as a rookie quarterback against the Green Bay Packers, a record that Andrew Luck later surpassed.

2011: College Awards

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

2011: "Suck for Luck" Phenomenon

Throughout the 2011 NFL season, some fans and teams were trying to lose games in order to get the first pick in the draft and have the opportunity to draft Andrew Luck, a phenomenon known as "Suck for Luck".

April 26, 2012: Colts Draft Andrew Luck First Overall

On April 26, 2012, the Indianapolis Colts officially drafted Andrew Luck as the first overall pick in the NFL draft.

June 17, 2012: Luck graduated from Stanford and received Al Masters Award

On June 17, 2012, Andrew Luck graduated from Stanford with a bachelor's degree in architectural design and received the Al Masters Award for athletic performance, leadership, and academic achievement.

July 19, 2012: Signed Four-Year Contract with Colts

On July 19, 2012, Andrew Luck signed a four-year contract with the Indianapolis Colts worth $22 million, becoming the fourth starting quarterback for the Colts in the past two NFL seasons.

November 25, 2012: Seattle Seahawks First Loss Since November 25, 2012

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

December 23, 2012: Broke Rookie Passing Yards Record

On December 23, 2012, Andrew Luck broke the record for most passing yards in a season by a rookie, with a total of 4,183 yards.

2012: Top Prospect for the 2012 NFL Draft

Andrew Luck was considered the top prospect for the 2012 NFL draft.

2012: Fiesta Bowl Berth

In 2011, Andrew Luck led Stanford to the 2012 Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma State.

2012: Favorite book was Henri Charrière's Papillon

In 2012, Andrew Luck stated that his favorite book was Henri Charrière's Papillon, revealing his passion for reading.

Papillon (P.S.)

Check it on Amazon

2012: Selected First Overall in NFL Draft

In 2012, Andrew Luck was selected first overall in the NFL draft by the Indianapolis Colts.

2012: "Andrew Luck Director of Offense" Endowed Chair

In 2012, an anonymous donor endowed a permanent chair for Stanford's offensive coordinator position, named the "Andrew Luck Director of Offense."

2013: NFL Playoff Comeback

During the 2013 playoffs, Andrew Luck oversaw the NFL's second-largest playoff comeback.

2013: Luck appeared on Parks and Recreation

In 2013, Andrew Luck appeared as himself on the comedy series Parks and Recreation, alongside teammates.

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2013: Reunited with Pep Hamilton and Win Against 49ers

In 2013, Andrew Luck was reunited with offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton and defeated his former Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh in a game against the San Francisco 49ers.

2013: Top Games of 2013

In 2013, Luck's game against the Kansas City Chiefs was ranked #1 on NFL.com's Top Games of 2013.

January 4, 2014: Historic Comeback against Kansas City Chiefs

On January 4, 2014, Luck led a historic comeback against the Kansas City Chiefs in his first NFL home playoff game, completing 29 passes for 433 yards and 4 touchdowns, and recovering a fumble for a touchdown, to record the second-biggest comeback in NFL playoff history.

January 19, 2014: Second Pro Bowl Selection

On January 19, 2014, Andrew Luck was named to his second Pro Bowl, replacing Russell Wilson.

2014: First Quarterback to Reach 3,000 Passing Yards

In 2014, Andrew Luck broke his single-season touchdown mark and became the first quarterback in 2014 to reach 3,000 passing yards.

2014: AFC Championship Game and Pro Bowl Honors

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

2014: New Record in Single-Season Completions

In 2014, Luck set a new record in single-season completions.

2015: Shoulder Issue

In 2015, Andrew Luck had a lingering issue with his right throwing shoulder.

2015: League Leader in Passing Touchdowns

In 2015, Luck was the league's leader in passing touchdowns for the first time in his career.

2015: Parody Twitter account

In 2015, the parody Twitter account portraying Luck as Capt. Andrew Luck was created.

2016: Injured Shoulder and Kidney Laceration

In 2016, Andrew Luck missed games due to an injured shoulder and later suffered a lacerated kidney and partially torn abdominal muscle, causing him to miss the rest of the season.

2016: AFC Offensive Player of the Week Award

In 2016, Luck won the AFC Offensive Player of the Week award after a 41-10 win over the New York Jets.

2017: Missed Season Due to Injuries

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

2017: Ruled Out for 2017 Season

In 2017, Andrew Luck was placed on injured reserve and ruled out for the remainder of the season due to his shoulder injury. He also traveled to Europe for additional treatment.

2017: Shoulder Surgery

Shortly following the 2016 season, Andrew Luck underwent surgery in 2017 to repair an issue with his right throwing shoulder that had been lingering since 2015.

February 7, 2018: No Additional Surgery Needed

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

September 9, 2018: First Game in 616 Days

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

March 31, 2019: Luck married Nicole Pechanec

On March 31, 2019, Andrew Luck married his longtime girlfriend, Nicole Pechanec.

June 14, 2019: Luck announced that they were expecting their first child

On June 14, 2019, Andrew Luck announced that he and his wife, Nicole Pechanec, were expecting their first child.

August 24, 2019: Retirement Announcement

On August 24, 2019, Andrew Luck announced his retirement from the NFL at the age of 29, citing the recurrent cycle of injuries and rehabilitation as the primary reason.

November 2019: Luck's first child Lucy was born

In November 2019, Andrew Luck and his wife Nicole Pechanec welcomed their first child, a daughter named Lucy.

2019: Retirement from the NFL

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

2019: NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award

In 2019, Andrew Luck was given the National Football League Comeback Player of the Year Award by the Pro Football Writers Association.

August 2022: Luck re-enrolled at Stanford

In August 2022, Andrew Luck re-enrolled at Stanford as a graduate student, pursuing a master's degree in education.

December 2022: Details About Retirement Decision

In December 2022, an ESPN article revealed that Andrew Luck's retirement was influenced by a desire to save his relationship with his wife, Nicole, due to the friction caused by his career demands.

2022: Luck moved to the Bay Area

In 2022, Andrew Luck moved to the Bay Area when he returned to Stanford after residing in Indianapolis with his family after his retirement.

2022: College Football Hall of Fame Induction Announcement

In 2022, Andrew Luck was announced as an inductee of the College Football Hall of Fame.

2022: Inducted into College Football Hall of Fame

In 2022, Andrew Luck was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

September 21, 2023: Luck appeared dressed as Capt. Andrew Luck

On September 21, 2023, Andrew Luck appeared dressed as the "Capt. Andrew Luck" persona following a game between the San Francisco 49ers and the New York Giants.

2023: Luck began serving as a part-time volunteer coach

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

2023: Induction into Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame

In 2023, Andrew Luck was inducted into the Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame.

November 2024: Luck became general manager of Stanford Cardinal football

In November 2024, Andrew Luck became the general manager of the Stanford Cardinal football team.

2024: Luck praised Capt. Andrew Luck Twitter account

In 2024, Andrew Luck praised the Capt. Andrew Luck Twitter account.

2024: Return to Stanford as General Manager

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

March 25, 2025: Luck fired Troy Taylor as head football coach

On March 25, 2025, Andrew Luck, in his role as general manager of Stanford Cardinal football, fired head football coach Troy Taylor following investigations into Taylor's conduct.

2025: Luck voiced himself in The Simpsons

In 2025, Andrew Luck, along with Blake Griffin and Megan Rapinoe, voiced himself in The Simpsons episode "Full Heart, Empty Pool".