Of all the NFL quarterbacks Tom Brady has outlasted, Andrew Luck wasn't supposed to be one of them.
Yet Luck shocked the NFL world Saturday night by announcing his retirement at age 29, citing mental fatigue after an injury-filled career.
Brady, who's entering his 20th NFL season with the New England Patriots at age 42, said Monday morning he supports the (former) Indianapolis Colts QB's decision.
"It's his life. Everyone has the right to choose what he wants to do," Brady told WEEI's "The Greg Hill Show" in his weekly interview. "He had a great career and he was a great player.
"Everybody wishes they could be healthy all the time. It is a contact sport and he's certainly had his fair share of injuries, so guys retire at different times. Some at the end of the season, and I have seen a lot of guys retire before the season gets going. This is just one of those examples."
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Brady knows as much as anyone what it takes to last in this league. The Patriots QB missed the entire 2008 season due to a torn ACL but bounced back to play more than a decade, adopting a new training regimen with health guru Alex Guerrero to extend his career.
"I think it's everything," Brady said when asked to explain his longevity. "There's definitely a physical element. There's definitely an emotional element. I think there is a mental element. Everything in my view really has to come together for you to be the best version of yourself as a player, and it takes a lot of support."
Many Colts fans weren't supportive of Luck on Saturday night, showering him with boos as he left the field following his final preseason game. But Brady -- whose former backup, Jacoby Brissett, will replace Luck in Indy -- says Luck shouldn't place too much stock into the fans' raw display of emotion.
"I think emotions are just that. They come and go," Brady said. "In the moment, I try and not make any decisions on emotion. We are emotional beings. They just ebb and flow. That's just part of life in my view."
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