History of Andrew Luck in Timeline

Andrew Luck is a former NFL quarterback and current general manager for Stanford's football team. Highly touted coming out of Stanford, where he won several awards in 2011, 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

1954: Bobby Garrett Drafted

In 1954, Bobby Garrett was drafted.

1971: Jim Plunkett Drafted

In 1971, Jim Plunkett was drafted.

1983: Comparison to John Elway

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. called Andrew Luck the best quarterback prospect since John Elway in 1983.

1983: Elway Drafted

In 1983, John Elway was drafted.

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: Chad Hutchinson's Quarterback Job

In 1996, Chad Hutchinson had earned the starting quarterback job, before Andrew Luck earned the job in 2009.

1998: Comparison to Peyton Manning

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

December 2008: Colts Shutout Victory

In December 2008, the Colts achieved their first shutout victory since their 23-0 win over the Tennessee Titans.

2008: Joins Stanford University

In 2008, Andrew Luck accepted an athletic scholarship to attend Stanford University.

2008: High School Graduation and Recruitment

In 2008, Andrew Luck graduated as co-valedictorian from Stratford High School. He was a four-star recruit, listed as the No. 4 pro-style quarterback in the class of 2008. He chose Stanford after receiving offers from other universities.

2008: Redshirt Freshman Year

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

2009: Starting Quarterback at Stanford

In 2009, Andrew Luck became the starting quarterback for Stanford, leading the Cardinal to victories and a Sun Bowl berth.

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 Top NFL Draft Pick

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

2010: Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year

In 2010, Andrew Luck was named the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year and led Stanford to a 12-1 record and an Orange Bowl victory, where he was named MVP.

January 6, 2011: Decision to Stay at Stanford

On January 6, 2011, Andrew Luck announced his decision to remain at Stanford to complete his degree, forgoing the 2011 NFL draft.

May 2011: Top Prospect for 2012 NFL Draft

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

2011: Plays final season at Stanford University

In 2011, Andrew Luck concluded his time playing football for the Stanford Cardinal.

2011: Final Season at Stanford

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

2011: College Accolades

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

2011: Cam Newton's Record

In 2011, Cam Newton had a record of 432 passing yards, which was later surpassed by Luck

2011: 2011 Season

The 2011 season occurred.

2011: "Suck for Luck" Trend

Throughout the 2011 NFL season, some fans called for their teams to lose games to improve their chances at drafting Andrew Luck.

March 2012: Signs with Nike

In March 2012, Andrew Luck signed with Nike, Inc.

April 26, 2012: Draft Day Selection

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

June 17, 2012: Luck graduated from Stanford

On June 17, 2012, Luck graduated from Stanford with a bachelor's degree in architectural design and received the Al Masters Award, an honor given to an athlete each year "for the highest standards of athletic performance, leadership and academic achievement."

July 19, 2012: Signs with Colts

On July 19, 2012, Andrew Luck signed a four-year contract with the Indianapolis Colts worth $22 million. He later debuted in a preseason game against the St. Louis Rams.

November 25, 2012: Seattle Seahawks regular-season loss

On November 25, 2012, the 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 a total of 4,183 yards, surpassing Cam Newton's previous record.

2012: Fiesta Bowl Appearance

In 2012, Andrew Luck and Stanford appeared in the Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma State.

2012: Luck's favorite book was Papillon

In 2012, Andrew Luck mentioned that his favorite book was Henri Charrière's Papillon, and he is a fan of Bernard Cornwell's historical fiction.

Papillon (P.S.)

Check it on Amazon

2012: Drafted by the Colts

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

2012: "Andrew Luck Director of Offense" Endowed

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

2012: Projected for 2012 NFL Draft

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

September 2013: Partner and Investor in BodyArmor SuperDrink

In September 2013, Andrew Luck became a partner and investor in BodyArmor SuperDrink.

2013: 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 on the comedy series Parks and Recreation as himself alongside teammates Reggie Wayne, Anthony Castonzo, Robert Mathis, and Adam Vinatieri during the show's sixth season.

Loading Video...

2013: Reunited with Pep Hamilton

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

2013: Top Games of 2013

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

January 4, 2014: Leads Historic Playoff Comeback

On January 4, 2014, in his first NFL home playoff game, Andrew Luck led the Colts to a historic comeback against the Kansas City Chiefs, overcoming a 28-point deficit to win 45-44. Luck completed 29 passes for 433 yards and 4 touchdowns, also recovering a fumble for a touchdown.

January 19, 2014: Named to Second Pro Bowl

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

2014: First to reach 4,000 Passing Yards

In 2014, Andrew Luck became the first quarterback to reach 4,000 passing yards and threw a career-high 5 touchdown passes.

2014: Breaks Single-Season Touchdown Mark

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

2014: AFC Championship and Pro Bowl Selection

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

2014: Single-Season Completions Record

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

2015: League Leader in Passing Touchdowns

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

2015: Shoulder issue

Since 2015, Andrew Luck had a lingering shoulder issue that required surgery following the 2016 season.

2015: Parody Twitter account 'Capt. Andrew Luck' started

Starting in 2015, a parody Twitter account portrays Andrew Luck as an American Civil War-like soldier commenting on his career. Known as "Capt. Andrew Luck," this internet meme.

2016: Injury and Missed Games

In 2016, Andrew Luck missed the first two games of his career with a shoulder injury and later missed more games due to a lacerated kidney and torn abdominal muscle, leading to the Colts failing to make the playoffs.

2016: Signs six-year extension and AFC Offensive Player of the Week

In 2016, Andrew Luck threw for 4,240 yards and 31 touchdowns. Following the season, he underwent surgery on his right shoulder.

2017: Misses Season Due to Shoulder Injury

In 2017, Andrew Luck missed the entire season due to a shoulder injury, undergoing rehab and seeking treatment in Europe.

2017: Injury Season

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

2017: Ranked in NFL Top 100 Players

In 2017, Andrew Luck was ranked 51st by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players.

February 7, 2018: No Additional Surgery Needed

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

September 9, 2018: First Game in 616 Days

On September 9, 2018, Andrew Luck started his first game in 616 days against the Cincinnati Bengals, with 319 passing yards and two touchdowns, but the Colts lost 34–23.

March 31, 2019: Luck married Nicole Pechanec

On March 31, 2019, Andrew Luck married his longtime girlfriend Nicole Pechanec, whom he met at Stanford.

June 14, 2019: Luck announced 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 recurrent injuries and rehabilitation.

November 2019: Birth of daughter Lucy

In November 2019, Andrew Luck and Nicole Pechanec's first child, a daughter named Lucy, was born.

2019: Retirement from the NFL

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

2019: 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 as a graduate student

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

December 2022: Clarifies Retirement Decision

In December 2022, Andrew Luck clarified in an ESPN article that his decision to retire was also influenced by a desire to save his relationship with his wife, Nicole.

2022: College Football Hall of Fame Induction Announced

In 2022, Andrew Luck was announced as a 2022 inductee of the College Football Hall of Fame on January 10.

2022: Luck moved to the Bay Area

In 2022, after his retirement, Andrew Luck moved to the Bay Area when he returned to Stanford.

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

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

2023: Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame Induction

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

2023: Luck served as a part-time volunteer coach

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: Luck became the general manager of Stanford Cardinal football

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

2024: Luck praised 'Capt. Andrew Luck' account

In 2024, Andrew Luck praised the parody Twitter account 'Capt. Andrew Luck', saying he wished he "had the humor and wit to pull off a social media account (like that)."

2024: Returns to Stanford

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

March 25, 2025: Luck fired Troy Taylor

On March 25, 2025, as one of his first acts as GM, Luck fired head football coach Troy Taylor after two investigations into the latter's conduct towards female staffers.

November 2025: Stanford hired Tavita Pritchard as the new head coach

In November 2025, after interviewing approximately 30 candidates, Stanford hired Luck's quarterback predecessor Tavita Pritchard as the new head coach.

2025: Luck voiced himself in The Simpsons

In 2025, Andrew Luck, along with Blake Griffin, and Megan Rapinoe, voiced themselves in The Simpsons's "Full Heart, Empty Pool", as a trio of retired athletes competing in Homer Simpson's "noodleball" tournament.