Every time we see Andrew Luck, he seems perfectly content after one of the most shocking retirements in NFL history. That continued on the sideline of the Stanford-Cal Big Game on Saturday.
Now serving as general manager of the Cardinal’s football program, the former Indianapolis Colts quarterback was on the sideline at Stanford Stadium and stood for an interview with the ESPN in the second quarter.
Advertisement
The question: “We were talking about how important this rivalry is. For you, being able to be a part of it, how meaningful is it?
The answer: “It’s huge, it was great to me as a player and now to be a GM and watch these guys. I’m going to watch here for second… oh, ball! GO JAY GO! GO JAY!”
While Luck was in front of the cameras, Cal attempted a trick play on first down and lost the ball on a fumble by Cal wide receiver Jacob De Jesus. Stanford safety Jay Green picked the ball and ran it back for a 49-yard-touchdown, to the elation of Luck, who ended the interview early to celebrate with his players.
Incredibly, that wasn’t the only fumble return touchdown of the second quarter for Stanford, who entered halftime up 14-10 despite getting only 71 yards and zero points from its defense.
Luck is in his first full season on the job at Stanford and oversees every aspect of the program, from roster management and recruiting to logistics and fundraising. It’s a job that has become increasingly common in college football as NIL and revenue sharing become a central feature of the sport, and Stanford had a celebrated name ready for the job.
Advertisement
Luck remained at Stanford through his senior year, becoming one of the most-hyped quarterback prospects in recent history while earning a degree in architectural design. He has remained close with the program ever since, especially after deciding to call it a career as an NFL player in 2019.
He has explained the decision as a painful one, but one he needed to make so he could focus on his family and break a cycle of painful injuries. He seems to have done both so far.