Jim Irsay issues tampering warning after report Commanders contacted Andrew Luck
Colts owner Jim Irsay is back on Twitter — this time to send a stern warning to a rival team.
News broke over the weekend that the Washington Commanders reached out to retired former Colts quarterback Andrew Luck last offseason, hoping the 33-year-old would return to the league and play for them.
However, while he is retired, Luck is technically still under contract with Indianapolis, and Irsay made note of that.
“If any NFL Team attempted to contact Andrew Luck (or any associate of him)… to play for their Franchise – it would be a clear Violation of the League’s Tampering Policy,” Irsay tweeted on Sunday night.
Washington reportedly reached out to Luck between the 2021 and 2022 seasons, before they eventually swung a trade with Luck’s former team for Carson Wentz, sending a pair of second-round draft picks back to Indianapolis.
The trade proved unsuccessful for the Commanders.
Wentz only started seven games, going 2-5 and throwing for 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions, before the team cut him after the 2022 season.
Luck, a four-time Pro Bowler, abruptly retired from the NFL just before the 2019 season was set to begin, citing nagging injuries suffered throughout his six professional seasons.
The Colts have cycled through starting quarterbacks since his retirement, having a different Week 1 starter every year since: Jacoby Brissett, Philip Rivers, Wentz and Matt Ryan.
Indianapolis finally drafted a signal-caller they hope to be the long-term answer, picking Florida’s Anthony Richardson at No. 4 overall in this year’s NFL Draft.
The Commanders have endured similar levels of futility at the QB position; coincidentally, they picked at No. 2 in the 2012 NFL Draft and took Robert Griffin III one pick after Luck.
After an electrifying 2012 season in which he was named the NFL Rookie of the Year, Griffin suffered a number of serious knee injuries and was never the same player, eventually playing for the Browns and Ravens before moving to the broadcast booth.
Washington is hoping that Sam Howell, a fifth-round pick in 2022, will be the answer.
Irsay, who has been the owner and CEO for the Colts since 1997, has made multiple headlines for his Twitter usage over the past few months.
During the NFL Draft, after the team had selected Richardson, Irsay shockingly polled his followers and asked if they should draft Kentucky quarterback Will Levis in the second round.
“Colts Fans…,” Irsay wrote. “Would you take Will Levis at #2 if you’re on the board for Colts in 4 hours from now??… and go Montana – Young for Franchise??”