Colts owner Jim Irsay Colts owner Jim Irsay smiles on Monday, Nov. 7, 2022, during a press conference at the Colts headquarters in Indianapolis.

ESPN reported recently that the Washington Commanders reached out to retired Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck.

Colts owner Jim Irsay seems to have read the report and is pretty unhappy about the possibility.

Irsay tweeted Sunday night that if any NFL team did reach out to Luck, that would be considered tampering.

“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,” wrote Irsay.

According to the Indianapolis Star, when Luck retired with three years left on the $140 million contract extension he signed in 2016, the Colts did not go after the quarterback’s signing bonus. And because of that, the franchise retained Luck’s rights.

Per NFL’s anti-tampering policy, “no club, nor any person employed by or otherwise affiliated with a club, is permitted to tamper with a player who is under contract to or whose exclusive negotiating rights are held by another club.”

The truth is that Luck not only remains retired but, by all accounts, the 33-year-old doesn’t seem to have any intention of returning to play in the NFL.

If the Commanders end up losing a coveted draft pick over their pursuit of a guy who never intended to return to football, it would be quite the parting gift from outgoing owner Dan Snyder.

[Jim Irsay, Indy Star]

About Sean Keeley

Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Editorial Strategy Director for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.