When the Indianapolis Colts let Peyton Manning walk away from the only team he’d ever played for to sign with the Denver Broncos, it became very clear how much their front office believed in University of Stanford standout quarterback Andrew Luck, the gritty, strong-armed gun-slinger thought to be the future of the position at the pro level.
Early on in his career, Luck hasn’t disappointed. He led the NFL in touchdown passes in 2014, and has been voted to the Pro Bowl three times, including the 2014-2015 season, when he led the Colts to the AFC Championship game, beating the Peyton Manning-led Denver Broncos in the process.
That appears to be enough for Colts brass, who signed their star quarterback to a contract extension today, and it was a big one. Big enough to make the Stanford alum the highest-paid quarterback in the league. Luck has signed a 5-year extension that will keep him the Colts’ signal-caller through 2021, and will pay him a whopping $75 million over the first 3 years. That’s $25 million for each of the next three seasons, which exceeds the $22 million Ravens’ quarterback Joe Flacco rakes in per season.
Now, if only Indianapolis could get over that New England hump.
