NFL's Luck keeps bonus money, though other stars had to pay up

Indianapolis Colts' star quarterback Andrew Luck, who announced his retirement from the NFL on Saturday after years of dealing with significant injuries, will keep almost $25 million that his team could have attempted to claw back from him. During his career, the 29-year-old earned approximately $97 million.

Luck, who was drafted in 2012, was potentially on the hook for $12.8 million in signing bonus money and an additional $12 million in roster bonus money that would have needed to be paid to the Colts, according to ESPN. But, the team decided to let its longtime quarterback, who was the 2018 AP Comeback Player of the Year and a four-time Pro Bowler, keep that bonus money.

Now, Luck is part of a growing group of players in the NFL who have prioritized their health and quality of life after football over their potential future earnings from the game. Jim Irsay, the owner of the Colts, speculated that Luck, in retiring so early in his NFL career, could well be walking away from as much as half a billion dollars in future earnings.

The Colts' decision to let the quarterback keep the bonus money as he leaves pro football behind and moves on to the next chapter in his life is not always the case in the NFL.

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In at least two previous high-profile instances, potential future Hall of Fame wide receiver Calvin Johnson and Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders had to return bonus money to their team (in both cases, the team was the Detroit Lions). The situations led to hard feelings that took many years to thaw in the case of Sanders, while Johnson's relationship with the team has yet to be repaired.

Johnson, who retired in March 2016, had to pay a reported seven-figure amount to the Lions and has been distant from the team ever since. Johnson told The Detroit Free Press this June that if the Lions would like him to return for player alumni events, team functions and other special occasions, they should repay him the bonus money.

“The only way they’re going to get me back is they put that money back in my pocket," Johnson said. "Nah, you don’t do that. I don’t care what they say. They can put it back, then they can have me back. That’s the bottom line.”

Luck's abrupt retirement was also causing a stir on social media. The former Colts quarterback was criticized by Fox Sports 1 analyst Doug Gottlieb, who said, “Retiring cause rehabbing is ‘too hard’ is the most millennial thing ever."

However, Hall of Famer Troy Aikman, a former quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, knows what it's like to be inside the pocket and defended Luck's decision.

"That’s total b------- Doug. What qualifies you to decide how someone should live their life? So you’re now the authority on what motivates Andrew Luck? And if his decisions don’t fit into what you think is best for him then you rip him? Guess that keeps you employed on FS1. Nice," Aikman, currently a Fox broadcaster, tweeted.