Andrew Luck refutes teammate's claim that Colts GM Chris Ballard forced QB into retirement: 'Without merit'

Andrew Luck’s abrupt retirement still haunts the Indianapolis Colts. Following Luck’s decision to walk away from football at 29, the Colts have struggled to find a new franchise quarterback. The man in charge of leading that search, team general manager Chris Ballard, may have put himself in that awkward position, as former Colts tight end Eric Ebron claimed on his podcast that Ballard issued an ultimatum to Luck that ultimately resulted in the quarterback’s retirement .

Luck, however, disagreed with Ebron’s assessment, saying the former tight end’s claims are “without merit. ” The whole situation began with Ebron, who claimed during his “On My Soul” podcast that Ballard told Luck he had to play or he would be replaced , per NFL. com.

"Andrew then decides that he's so tired of injury and he doesn't want to do the surgery, and you know the man around there that gets on everybody's nerves, [Ballard] over there behind that desk, he tells Andrew, 'You're either playing this year or we're moving on,'" Ebron said on his podcast. "Who the (expletive) would tell Andrew Luck that? Andrew Luck now says, 'I'm not going to be ready, I'm tired of playing with pain.

I'm going to retire. '" Luck refuted that version of events in a brief email to Mike Chappell of Fox59. com.