Back in December, Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay expressed considerable doubt in the possibility of Andrew Luck one day returning to the NFL, telling Michael Silver of NFL.com that the "door has closed."
But what are the chances that Irsay and the Colts -- currently in the midst of a quarterback crisis with Carson Wentz sidelined for 5-12 weeks -- reached out in good faith to the retired Luck about a comeback?
"I don't put anything past Jim," former Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney told The Zach Gelb Show on Thursday. "But I do know this: Andrew was a great player for all of those years and whatever he decides to do is his choice. I don't know if Jim did, but I wouldn't blame Jim. Luck is a special player, and he's a guy who can make plays. He knows the system just a little bit. He knows the culture, the players, the personnel. That wouldn't be a bad fit.
"I don't know [if Luck would ever return]. That's a tough one I have a hard time answering. Just because I've never seen a guy with that type of skill and potential and that young retire before. Maybe he still has something in the tank, but you know what, Brett Favre tried to come back multiple times, right? So, you never know... Things change from year to year."
Luck, the first overall pick in the 2012 draft and a four-time Pro Bowl selection, unexpectedly announced his retirement back in August 2019. The 31-year-old told reporters in a press conference that the vicious cycle of pain and rehab from injuries took "joy of this game away," and he hadn't been able to "live the life I want to live."
Luck retired having completed 60.8-percent of his passes for Indianapolis, and accumulated 23,671 yards, 171 touchdowns, and 83 interceptions across six seasons (86 games). He also ranks third all-time in franchise history in completions, passing attempts, passing yards, and touchdowns.
As for the 2021 Colts, backup quarterback Jacob Eason is taking first-team snaps, and head coach Frank Reich recently told reporters that the starting job is Eason's to lose. According to the William Hill Sportsbook, Indianapolis has the second-best odds (+170) to win the AFC South.
The entire Colts conversation between Freeney and Gelb can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow The Zach Gelb Show on Twitter @ZachGelb and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.