The Indianapolis Colts have requested that NFL officials look into the possibility of improper contact between the Washington Commanders and long-retired Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, a league source told ESPN on Monday, confirming a report by The Washington Post.
Luck, a four-time Pro Bowl selection, retired in 2019 with three seasons remaining on his contract. The contract tolled after his departure, meaning that if he were to resume his NFL career, he would remain under contract to the Colts, and any improper contact by another club could constitute a violation of the NFL’s anti-tampering policy.
A source told ESPN on Sunday that the Colts were considering pursuing the matter after ESPN reported Saturday that Washington — during the team’s broad search for a starting quarterback in 2022 — made attempts to learn whether Luck had any interest in returning to the NFL.
A Commanders source told ESPN’s John Keim on Monday that the team considered Luck, among many other quarterbacks, but moved on because it figured he would stay retired, so it didn’t go any further.
The Commanders are not believed to have spoken with Luck, nor his agent, which would be a direct violation of the league’s anti-tampering policy. Whether the Commanders spoke with a third party, and whether any such actions constitute a violation, are among the details the Colts are hoping to clarify as they seek to learn more about what exactly transpired, a Colts source told ESPN on Sunday.
The NFL’s anti-tampering policy is somewhat vague, but direct contact with a player is not required for a violation to occur.
“Any public or private statement of interest, qualified or unqualified, in another club’s player to that player’s agent or representative, or to a member of the news media, is a violation,” the relevant portion of the policy states.