When Andrew Luck shocked the world and informed the Indianapolis Colts of his retirement, we immediately noted it would make an otherwise boring Week 4 preseason game a little more interesting.
At least in part, this has already rung true thanks to Cincinnati Bengals players fielding questions on the topic.
Dre Kirkpatrick is one of the first and he didn’t mince words about Colts fans booing Luck off the field during the team’s last preseason game once the news of his retirement leaked.
Tyler Dragon of the Cincinnati Enquirer captured Kirkpatrick’s reaction:
“They disgusted me. They feel like we are robots and animals or in-caged people that have to abide by all their rules. That was very disrespectful. (Andrew Luck) has done so much for that organization.”
The situation is more nuanced, of course. Fans in the stadium should be ashamed, yes, but in the heat of the moment with information just starting to trickle in — as opposed to onlookers at home getting everything at once — the reaction is understandable.
Luck’s decision was an incredibly brave one and something all players can likely relate to at some level. That so many players like Kirkpatrick have come out in support of him and rallied against the boos speaks volumes to a budding problem the NFL might have as top talent start to realize playing until they can’t anymore isn’t as good of an option as escaping with their health by hanging up the cleats early.
