Carson Palmer on Andrew Luck Retirement: 'Impossible' Not to Feel 'Guilt'

There are few people better equipped to understand where Andrew Luck is coming from when he announced his retirement than Carson Palmer.

After all, the latter was the No. 1 overall pick of the 2003 NFL draft. The former was the No. 1 pick of the 2012 draft, and both dealt with injuries throughout much of their career.

That's what makes it particularly notable when Palmer said he believes Luck probably felt some form of guilt when he was sidelined with injuries and eventually retired. The USC product opened up about Luck's surprising retirement when talking with Peter King of NBC Sports:

"I remember going to rehab every day. I remember you feel guilt from your teammates. It's hard when you're Andrew Luck and you're the face of the franchise. Everybody on your team looks at you in a certain light. I think the guilt and the shame—and in no way should he have ever felt guilt or shame for being injured—but that's natural. When you're so used to being the franchise quarterback, the face of the franchise, it's impossible not to feel that guilt. I know I felt it."

Palmer suggested some of the realities of being a quarterback also play a role in that guilt, pointing to things such as advertisements around the city and the significant percent of the salary cap the position occupies.

"All those things that come with being Andrew Luck and knowing the way he was revered by his teammates and knowing the way he loved his teammates ... I think all that weighed heavy on his heart," he said.

Palmer entered the league in 2003 when Cincinnati drafted him, and he played until 2017 for the Bengals, Oakland Raiders and Arizona Cardinals. However, injuries played a role in his career, as King noted he missed 38 games throughout his 14 seasons in the league.

Luck missed nine games in 2015 and the entire 2017 campaign because of injuries, surely cutting a career that was filled with promise short.

He still led the Indianapolis Colts to the playoffs in each of his first three seasons, was named to four Pro Bowls and won the 2018 Comeback Player of the Year by completing 67.3 percent of his passes for 4,593 yards, 39 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.

His former teammates will have to turn toward Jacoby Brissett at quarterback for the season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers next Sunday.