Andrew Luck Retirement Presents Jacoby Brissett With a Career-Altering Opportunity
By Sean Facey
By any measure, Andrew Luck's retirement was an absolute bombshell. The 29-year-old's choice to call it quits after spending seven years in the league was downright shocking and totally out of the blue.
But him stepping away from the game hands the reigns to 26-year-old backup Jacoby Brissett, who now has a potentially career-altering opportunity in front of him to establish himself as a starting quarterback in the NFL while heading into a contract year.
Jacoby Brissett has a unique opportunity in front of him:
— NFL Update (@MySportsUpdate) August 25, 2019
- Starting job is his.
- Top-5 offensive line.
- Deep receiving group.
- Up-and-coming RB Marlon Mack
- HC Frank Reich [who helped backup Nick Foles win a SB]
- Most importantly for him: Entering a contract year.
He already flashed his potential in 2017 when he threw for 3,098 yards on a Colts team with virtually no talent on offense. Now, all of the tools are there for him to earn a massive payday. Remember, this squad was supposed to have dynastic potential; the rest of the roster has been very much filled out.
Brissett's stepping into a starting job that now features an elite offensive line, a replenished receiving group, and a rising star at running back in Marlon Mack to complement him.
He's also got an intriguing head coach in Frank Reich, who not only led the Colts to a 10-6 record with the fifth-best scoring offense in football last year, but also helped Nick Foles transform into a dynamite quarterback to win the Super Bowl with the Eagles.
There is a lot of support for Jacoby Brissett here. One scout told me this team wasn’t built to win with Luck but rather built to win period. They like JB and believe they can win with him.
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) August 25, 2019
The pieces are all there for him to succeed. There's loads of talent around him both on the field and on the sidelines.
Add in the fact that Brissett has the added motivation of entering a contract year, and it's not unreasonable to think that this upcoming season could alter the entire landscape of the NFL.
A trickle down impact of Andrew Luck’s retirement: Jacoby Brissett is in the final year of his rookie contract. If he plays well this season, the Colts solidify their QB position and Brissett sets himself up for a lucrative payday.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) August 25, 2019
Luck's retirement may have stripped the Colts of their franchise star, but it certainly has created an incredible amount of intrigue about the future under his backup.