Dominate the Super Bowl-Chapter 988 - 987 Sensational League

August 24, 2019, the third round of the preseason of the new NFL season.

While the entire league’s attention was bustlingly gathered in Kansas City, opening wide to try to devour Arrowhead Stadium, the Indianapolis Colts quietly pressed the detonation button on the atomic bomb—

Andrew Luck announced his retirement.

League: ???

Wait, what?

Who? What’s happening? What’s going on? Did they miss something?

Boom, boom boom boom.

The entire league was stunned.

Luck, only twenty-nine years old, 2018’s league comeback player of the year, the "Big Manning successor" the Indianapolis Colts gambled on, entered the league with the aura of The Chosen One, stood under the spotlight from day one, and began a glorious journey.

And the result?

Without warning, suddenly announced his retirement.

And at this time, it had only been three short years since Big Manning retired.

A shocking news left the entire league in astonishment and turmoil.

Last season, Luck, after recovering from injury, had another outstanding season, proving his talent as a quarterback had not vanished; however, the hopes of the Indianapolis Colts for a revival hit a wall against the Kansas City Chiefs, regretfully stopping in the divisional playoffs, unable to advance further.

Yet, everyone within the Indianapolis Colts was full of confidence, eagerly preparing for the next season, confidently looking forward to the future, believing a healthy Luck could keep the team in championship contention, and it was only a matter of time before the Colts returned to the Super Bowl stage.

However! But!

Luck unexpectedly chose to retire!

The Indianapolis Colts and the entire league were left in a daze.

Confusion in the wind.

Everything was so shocking, so unexpected that when the news broke, people’s first reaction was,

"April Fool’s joke."

When Reed entered the press room, he was ready to face the media storm; yet he never expected to see a watermelon.

Dumbfounded, gaping.

The usually lively reporters were all stunned, whispering to each other, lost in confusion, looking like they had indigestion.

Then Veach took the stage, handed Reed a note, telling Reed what had happened.

Reed was also slightly bewildered.

Although the press conference continued, the reporters were distracted, now no longer interested in focusing on besieging Li Wei, the news from Indianapolis was bound to set off a chain of events, potentially altering the new season’s American League landscape.

Immediately, reporters posed a major question, asking Reed for his thoughts.

Reed stated he was not informed of the situation but believed that behind what seemed like a sudden decision, Luck must have repeatedly discussed it with the team, and it was certainly not an easy decision for the player; no matter what happened, he sincerely wished Luck could have the life he desired.

In the end, what no one expected was—

The focus of the Kansas City Chiefs’ press conference shifted from Li Wei to Luck, and it ended abruptly.

However, this is reality.

In the internet age, trends come and go in an instant; right now, the league’s sole focus was Luck.

In 2012, the Indianapolis Colts’ management took a bold move, abandoning an injured Big Manning, putting all their hope on the first overall pick, Luck, enduring pressure, believing in this Chosen One.

In the end, seven years, just seven years, Luck turned away and abandoned the Indianapolis Colts.

And during this time, Big Manning led the Denver Broncos to the Super Bowl twice, winning once, also earning a regular season MVP honor.

But what about the Indianapolis Colts?

Nothing. Just reaching the American League finals once in the 2014 season.

Indianapolis Colts management: ...

This slap in the face was too quick, too hard, too sudden, even the battle-hardened management was dizzy, momentarily unable to react.

So, what happened?

Did the Indianapolis Colts’ management have a conflict with Luck? Or did Luck have a disagreement with the coaching staff?

After all, as the new season began, the Indianapolis Colts were also in turmoil—

The preseason saw them defeated three times in a row.

For the team that performed well last season and had high expectations for this season, such a start was completely unexpected for the Indianapolis Colts.

And now, with Luck inexplicably dropping a bombshell, the media immediately connected it to the locker room management, with speculations flying everywhere.

What the Kansas City Chiefs were undergoing, in an instant, was perfectly transferred onto the Indianapolis Colts.

Luck said, none of it was true, stop guessing, "I’m just tired."

In the post-game press conference, Luck gave an official response.

The decision was not sudden; to be precise, Luck had been discussing it with the team for two whole weeks.

Last season, after recovering from injury, he delivered an outstanding performance again; however, during this offseason, Luck faced another injury—

A "mysterious, slow, chronic" leg injury, located around the ankle and calf, and worse, no matter what treatment approach was tried, recovery was still slow.

In the press conference, Luck said, "…It killed the joy of football. I couldn’t enjoy practice, couldn’t enjoy the games, everything became painful and a struggle, I couldn’t even sleep well."

"In 2016, I fought injuries, couldn’t train, couldn’t rest, and it evolved into devastating pain. From then on, I told myself, I refused to experience such a disaster again."

So, when the injury reappeared, Luck decided to turn away, retire completely.

Clearly, this decision was tough; and at the same time, it was devastating for the Indianapolis Colts.

Because they lost their cornerstone quarterback, and the team painstakingly built around Luck since 2012 was about to lose its engine.

Also, it completely disrupted the team’s new season plans; the draft ended, the free market was closing, and even the team’s offseason tactical training and bonding had ended, with less than three weeks until the new season officially began, and now with Luck suddenly announcing retirement, what should the team do?

The management wasn’t a magician; they couldn’t make a league starter-level quarterback appear out of thin air at this moment.

Of course, the Indianapolis Colts had a backup quarterback, and football is a team sport; no one is indispensable, not even a quarterback, the ultimate test is still the overall strength of the entire team, there’s no need to panic.

But there’s a reason why a backup is called a backup, more importantly, the team’s entire plan for the past five months now needs complete overhaul.

Luck’s step thoroughly pushed the entire management into a deadlock.

For this, Luck and the team had been communicating and talking constantly; according to Luck, for the past week, they were in discussions every day.

Unfortunately, the team ultimately couldn’t persuade Luck.

"Retire!"

Luck announced, without a second thought, turned and left, leaving a free-spirited back and a mess behind.