With the NFL world still reeling from Andrew Luck's surprise retirement, Aaron Rodgers, chimed in on how he felt about the situation.
During a conversation with Sirius XM’s Mad Dog Sports Radio on Monday, Rodgers expressed his disappointment in the way Luck's retirement was handled by both the media and the fans.
"Well, the surprise was obviously the first emotion," Rodgers began. "But I think the second is a little disgust, maybe, at the way that it was handled. Him getting booed, the word leaking out the way that it did, I thought that was a little disgusting because here's a guy who's making a quality of life decision."
The news of Andrew Luck's retirement broke on Saturday, during Colts' preseason game against the Chicago Bears. Per former Pro Bowl offensive lineman Joe Thomas, Luck had shared his intentions with the front office in March and planned to make an official announcement the day after the game. Somehow the news leaked to the public, leading to loud boos from Colts fans as he exited the stadium, which prompted Luck to give an impromptu press conference following Saturday's game.
While some critics condemned Luck for his decision, Aaron Rodgers thinks the quarterback did what's best for the team, and feels like Luck should be "championed" for making this move.
"I can totally relate to that, having a couple major injuries myself when you miss a ton of time," Rodgers explained. "Those are tough days. I think he should be championed and appreciated, given the praise he’s due for making the decision that’s in the best interest of himself, his wife, his family — his own personal quality of life."
"I think what he did was actually very unselfish," Rodgers continued. "Does he not start the season? He could be on IR, and then he's cashing a paycheck from the Colts without playing."
