The Ringer NFL Show - 'Quick Hits' With Andrew Luck (Ep. 99)

Episode Date: April 19, 2017

The Ringer's Kevin Clark and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck discuss his injured offseason (01:00), his NFL draft experience (06:00), athletes being politically active (11:30), and 'Game of Thrones' (14:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to the ringer NFL show. I'm Kevin Clark, a staff writer for the ringer. Joining me on the other line for the third time. This is, and the best, the best part of the trilogy is like Return of the King and the Word of the Rings. It's Andrew Luck. Andrew Luck, how are you? I am doing very well. Thanks, Kevin. How are you? I'm doing all right. Doing all right. This is our, you know, basically our quarterly visit at this point. You're a friend of this show. We'll get to the football part of it. We'll get to some of the other stuff that you like to talk about. But let's start with just the offseason.

Because, you know, I think that NFL players have the largest offseason of anybody, obviously. What is a typical day for you like? Because for me, obviously this week is different at OTAs. But, you know, you just look at Instagram of every other NFL player and they're in, you know, Europe the entire year. What's a typical off day for Andrew Luck in April or May? Yeah. So this year's been a lot different because I had a surgery, as you know, in January. So I've been in Indianapolis.

rehabbing just about every week and taking the weekends off. And usually I would travel a bit right after the season ends, try to get out and go see something while I'm young. But I've been in Indy this winter. Thankfully it was a mild winner. It was one of the more mild winners, I think, in recent memory. And it had a lot of down season for the Pacers, but they're in the playoffs now.

Hopefully we can steal a game tomorrow night against the Cavs. But it was something. somewhat uneventful off-season for me. So you're not getting away. You're not going to be able to do your sort of Australia, you know, and go somewhere and find, explore the world. That's not happening this year?

No, not happening this year. And that's A-OK with me. All right. Are you going to the Pacers game? You know, I'm going to try to. I'm going to try to make it. We'll see. Okay.

Great. So let's get to the surgery because I think that it was very interesting earlier this week, you sort of opened up about the process that happened over the past two years. And essentially what happened for the listener is that the injury stems back from the early part, September of 2015, there were some reaggravations, you had some rehab, and then eventually you had the shoulder surgery in this offseason. Take me through what the last two years were like, because I know how competitive you are, I know how committed you are to not making excuses, and yet you had this sort of,

in the back of your mind and obviously on you know in in your shoulder for the past two years um what what was that that journey like? First of it were tough obviously and I mean the truth of it is every every NFL player's playing with something going through something it's the nature of the sport there's a it is obviously a theme of violence uh in the NFL that that's that's part of it and you and you know it when you sign up but you know as far as the shoulder goes it's sort of you know I injured it couple years ago. Got it back feeling really good, played the season.

We finished the season and decided to do rehab and get it back. And we did. We did a great job. Our PTs did an awesome job. Made it feel really, really good. And then that next season would get, unfortunately, re-agravated every now and then through an awkward hit or an awkward landing or whatever it may be. And so we reconvened after this season, went out and got a bunch of opinions.

from around the country and decided, and ultimately I decided, you know, with the help of many people, that surgery was my best option going forward. And we did that in the middle of rehab now. And, you know, it's actually been sort of fun, you know, believe it or not. What part of rehab is fun?

Getting better. That's what's getting fun. It's fun seeing progress, you know. It's not so fun being stuck in a sling and only using your left hand for everything. But at this point in time, to feel and see progress is, it's cool. It's cool to see what our bodies can do. When you watch yourself over the past two years,

especially after the reaggravation last year, can you point to a part of your game that was different that maybe you played differently? Maybe you didn't want to take that extra step or anything like that, or did you play your same style, and maybe that's maybe what even re-aggregate it a little bit. Yeah, no, you know, obviously, and I've been focusing on since every year trying to take less hits and, you know,

part of, part of obviously being a quarterback that runs around every now and then is you're going to take some hits. But I'm trying to take less than less hits, and so that's a focus regardless of being, you know, having an injury or not. But, you know, I wouldn't say my game changed too much. I wish I would have played better, you know, I wish we would have won Super Bowls every year. Like 31 other quarterbacks in the NFL, but, you know, so excited to move forward, though. Yeah.

You know, this year is obviously very different. And, you know, Ryan Grigsden is gone, Chris Ballard is in, Coach Pagano is still there. But do you feel maybe more expectations than you ever have just because of the regime change of the top because of the last two years? I mean, is that something that weighs on you a little bit, Andrew? No, no, it doesn't. You know, I've always put, I know as a player, a lot of pressure on myself. In our locker room, we've always had very high expectations. This is a winning franchise.

And I learned that very quickly when, you know, as a rookie and walking in with Dwight Freeney and Reggie Wayne and Robert Mathis and seeing how many sort of playoff banner appearances are in the indoor. And, you know, obviously the goal is to win Super Bowl. And then hopefully another and another and another. We certainly have some work to do. But to answer your question, no, the expectation in my mind has not changed. It's always been to win. Let's get to the draft a little bit because that's on everyone's mind.

Obviously, it's coming up next week. You obviously were in a position that a lot of guys have not been in, which is you basically knew which team was going to select you a couple weeks in advance. Really, only one team, maybe two teams were doing their due diligence on you. But I think that people don't realize how deep, how deep, these teams dig on a top prospect, you know, how much due diligence they do do. When you were going through the ringer, so to speak, of being, you know, vetted, I guess, as a top prospect, what was that like? What stands out to you?

Are you allowed to say the ringer? Are you allowed to say the ringer on your own podcast? It's a pun, yes. I go through life trying to get that in as a pun. All right. Just checking. So, yeah, so what was that like for you? You know, because there's a couple of guys who are going through that right now.

what was that process like and what stands out to you that maybe people don't realize? Interesting process, you know, there's definitely an aspect of a typical job interview and folks digging into you. I think the physical aspect of it was probably the most unique part. You know, the combine and the doctors yanking on you and tugging you and pulling your arm or your fingers or your knee depending on, you know, what you've sort of had in the past. and there's a bit of that meat market feel or you're just a body that's touched and prodded and stuff.

So that's the most interesting part. But you know, you obviously realize why you do your due diligence, you know, from the club's perspective. And it was a neat process. I think it was made much less stressful for me because I had a pretty good idea of what was going to happen. And obviously glad to end up to have ended up in Indianapolis and be here now.

You talked about the meat market aspect of it. Did you find that weird? Did you know that was going to happen going into it, that it was going to be almost like a meat market thing where they are pulling it fingers and stuff? Yeah, and then that's maybe the wrong, or maybe that's a bit of a strong word to use, or strong term to use the folks that, you know,

and that's a pleasant imagery. But, yeah, you know, we were sort of worn beforehand by older guys and guys that had been here. You know, that part of it. And it is what it is. You do with a smile on your face. Are you one of these guys who, you know, certain quarterbacks around the league, maybe look at the prospects and give their input to the GM or the coach.

Are you one of these guys or do you sort of leave the college game alone at this point? If our coach or Chris Ballard has a question for me and ask me, then I'll give them my hopefully honest or honest and hopefully educated opinion, but I'm not going out and telling them anything. They're the experts in that. All right. So we need a crucial update because, the first time you were on this show, you said once you sign your contract, you want to get a robot

ping pong machine to play ping pong against. Has that been purchased yet, Andrew? No, you know, it's not been purchased yet. What's the holdup? I know. Sorry. I don't know. You know, ping pong took sort of a back seat. Well, I guess the timing was weird. You signed the contract in July, the season gets started, ping pong gets minimized, right? Yeah, it does. It does. been pushed to the margins.

Marginalized. You'll be back. You'll be back. So what did you do with the contract? Anything that you really wanted to do that you were able to do in the last eight or nine months? No, nothing. Nothing. No, nothing that I really wanted to do.

All right, great. All right. So, you know, I think a lot of people, when they get, you know, over $100 million and have a checklist, it's refreshing that you just sort of put it in the bank. That's nice to hear, Andrew. So we get to the pop culture stuff because you obviously have your book club. What are you consuming right now? Books, movies, TV.

Reading Hillbilly Elegie by J.D. Van. Sort of get towards the end. Very enlightening. Very well written. Obviously, I think it has some helps understand certain things. in this country. So that's sort of what I'm, what I'm reading right now.

Any TV we need to watch? Any movies? Any TV we need to watch. You know, my girlfriend got me watching The Crown on Netflix. And it was fantastic. It was fantastic. My girlfriend actually got me watching The Crown as well.

What did you like about it? I thought the setting was great. I thought the actors and actresses were phenomenal. I think English history, obviously recent, somewhat modern history is fascinating. I think Winston Churchill is a character that we obviously learn about, at least in the periphery when studying American history, you know, is here his name, and then to sort of see someone bring him to life, I thought was really neat as well. I wanted to talk to you about Hillbilliology, because I obviously saw that you were doing that.

Obviously, that's been phrased as sort of a political book. And obviously, you hinted at it. It helps understand sort of what's going on in this country. Obviously, you have some ties to Appalachia. Your father was the athletic director at West Virginia. You know, you played there. And, you know, my curiosity is there's so much activism happening in the NFL. Obviously, it started last August, and it's continued.

I just spoke to Malcolm Jenkins on the podcast before this, and he obviously had many thoughts about athletes getting involved in activism. I'm curious if you have any plans to speak out more or make your opinions known because I don't think we've really ever heard much from you as far as that goes. Is there anything that you are thinking about as far as getting more involved in that, Andrew? No, to be honest, no. I certainly share or have opinions, share them with friends and family. You know, I don't think I feel, you know, it was such a, pardon me, felt like it was such a divisive time in our country for a while and that maybe any opinion, you know, as innocent as it might be, would be misconstrued and used in maybe ways that you didn't intend it to.

And so I don't think I just, I don't think I felt comfortable speaking out about certain things, I guess. Yeah. Yeah, okay. That makes, that makes sense. you know, do you think that there, players who don't speak out at some point are going to get criticized? Or, I mean, I mean, it's just such a weird time now where it seems like football culture. Yeah, I think, I think everybody will be criticized about anything at some point. So I don't think you can worry about that.

Yeah, no, I certainly, I certainly, I certainly respect those who are sharing their opinions and starting or continuing a conversation. Like my college teammate, Doug Baldwin. Yeah, of course. Never has been afraid to share his opinion and is a very thoughtful man. And not a lot of people may agree with all of his opinions. But I respect him for absolutely respect him for, and one sense putting himself out there. And I know he's doing it for the right reasons that try and affect positive change. And I certainly respect that amongst all the guys and gallows in the sort of professional sporting world

that do. A few more and we'll get you out of here. You still haven't watched any Game of Thrones episodes. Well, I've seen bits and pieces, especially the older ones, but now that the sort of, as I understand the shows, have passed the books, and hopefully George R. Martin can get that next one out. You're going to be waiting forever, Andrew. That's all right.

It'll be worth it. You're going to be retired. Okay, you're here on behalf of Body Armor. Tell us what you're doing with that and what the campaign is all about. Yeah, so they're going to come out with their first TV sports. thought. The obsession is natural. Kobe Bryant, obviously the great basketball player and one of the sports heroes of mine is taking a big creative lead on that. So it was fun to collaborate with him a bit. And I've always loved body armor. I used to drink it in college. It's actually the first

sort of professional partnership endorsement I entered into because I thought it was better than the other stuff. So I'm excited to see that on TV, those commercials during the NBA playoffs. What's Kobe like? Kobe is intense, very thoughtful. I very much enjoy the times I've been around him or had phone conversations with him and talked to him a bit about this campaign. And you can see why he's thought of one of the ultimate competitors of all time.

All right, great. Andrew Luck, I wish luck to your Pacers and obviously to the Colts, and thank you for joining us. Absolutely. Thanks for having me. On the Ringer. On the ringer, that's it. What a plug.

Thank you so much, Andrew. Have a great day. Bye-bye. Okay, bye-bye.