Andrew Luck finally comments on Joe Burrow retirement speculation after comparison
Luck retired at the age of 29 while still at the top of his game, and many have wondered if Burrow could do the same due to injuries.
For the most part, Joe Burrow has lived up to the hype since being the Cincinnati Bengals ' first overall pick in 2020. He's made three Pro Bowls , took the Bengals to the Super Bowl on one occasion, and has even won two NFL Comeback Player of the Year Awards .
Unfortunately, that last accolade means that he's had to deal with plenty of adversity through injuries . In fact, three of his six seasons prior to 2026 were marred by injuries . That clearly weighed heavily on Burrow, who made an eye-opening comment in December of last year: " If I want to keep doing this, I have to have fun doing it. I’ve been through a lot and if it’s not fun then what am I doing it for. "
Those comments had many drawing a parallel to Andrew Luck . The first overall pick in 2012, Luck was every bit as good as advertised for the Indianapolis Colts , but he also saw a couple of seasons cut short by injuries ; particularly one to his right throwing shoulder. He ultimately retired at 29 years old, shocking the whole NFL world .
Luck had cited a recurrent cycle of injuries and rehab processes as the main reason for his retirement decision , although he later clarified that being more present in his marriage and family life also played a role.
Andrew Luck is a big Joe Burrow fan, but doesn't think their situations are the same
With Burrow now the same age Luck was when he hung up his cleats, Frank Schwab of Yahoo Sports had to ask the former Colts quarterback what he thought about the Bengals QB's comments. Luck was sympathetic towards Burrow.
Every player's context is different. Only Joe knows what Joe's going through. I'm a huge fan. I'm pulling for him. I think the majority of professional athletes go through questions like this at various points in their career. That is part of being a professional athlete. Especially in a trying, violent - football is not a contact sport, it's a collision sport, and it can be trying. Always pulling for Joe.
Burrow has already walked back his comments a little bit, and the Bengals have gotten off to a decent start in 2026. But it's another reminder that longevity in the NFL isn't just about the physical aspect, it's the mental part of it too.
