What if Andrew Luck was drafted by the Eagles?

Former Colts QB Andrew Luck is regarded as one of the biggest what ifs in NFL history. Seen as a generational QB prospect coming out of college in 2012, Luck spent seven seasons with the Indianapolis Colts before abruptly retiring at the age of 29 in August of 2019. Having been regarded as an elite, top-flight QB for most of his career, it is still debated today whether or not Luck could have been an all-time great had he not left the game early.

It was recently revealed that the Philadelphia Eagles tried “manically” to acquire the first overall pick, and Luck, in the 2012 draft. Today, I would like to explore the possibility of what could have been if Luck was drafted by the Eagles.

Luck Gets More Stability, Better Roster

The Colts were an unstable mess for most of Luck’s career. Ryan Grigson was a horrendous GM and Chuck Pagano was an awful coach. Plus, Luck never had a serviceable offensive line until the last year of his career and his best teammates during the majority of his tenure were receiver T.Y. Hilton and kicker Adam Vinatieri which is pretty embarrassing.

In Philadelphia, Luck would have acquired an elite GM in Howie Roseman and an elite head coach in Andy Reid (more on him later). Roseman would have undoubtedly developed a better roster to surround Luck while Reid would get his Mahomes five years earlier- and in a different place.

Now, Luck likely would not have acquired Eagle all time greats Lane Johnson and Fletcher Cox if the Eagles had traded up. A trade up for Luck would have likely cost at least three first round picks and maybe another player. Although this would have happened, Luck would still have offensive linemen such as Evan Mathis and Jason Kelce protecting him- also still a significant upgrade from his initial offensive lines in Indianapolis. Luck also would have had better offensive weapons around him, some of which included LeSean McCoy, DeSean Jackson, and Jeremy Maclin.

Andy Reid Stays In Philadelphia, Impacting Both Them And The Chiefs

The Eagles moved on from Reid after the 2012 season when the team went 4-12. If the team had acquired Luck, this would not have happened. As we saw in Indianapolis, Luck had three straight 11-5 seasons with significantly worse rosters. The 2012 Eagles would have likely been a playoff team with Luck, and Reid would have been extended as the team now had their QB-HC combo of the future.

As for Kansas City, their trajectory significantly changes. Without Reid as head coach, it's likely that they end up hiring somebody such as Chip Kelly or Dirk Koetter, the Falcons offensive coordinator who also interviewed with the Chiefs before they hired Reid.

While the Chiefs still likely land Patrick Mahomes in 2017, it's possible that he doesn't develop into an all time great if he has someone like Kelly, Koetter, or another coach as his coach. This means that the current Chiefs dynasty does not exist- the Eagles would have been that, and they would have disputed the NFL in so many ways.

For starters, I believe that the legacy of Peyton Manning would have been impacted. If the Colts traded the first overall pick to Philadelphia, Manning would've stayed in Indianapolis. And given Indy’s bad roster plus the fact that the Ravens and Patriots were dominant throughout Manning’s four years in Denver, he likely wouldn't have reached another Super Bowl. This would mean that Manning only has one ring in two Super Bowl appearances, and is probably not regarded as one of the three best QBs ever.

Another key AFC factor is that the Patriots might have seven rings instead of six. It's a likely scenario that the Patriots and Seahawks meet in both Super Bowls 48 and 49, and I believe that New England would have won both. This means that the Legion of Boom era for the Seahawks doesn't come to fruition.

Since Andy Reid went to Kansas City, the Rams and 49ers have become dominant NFC powers, having appeared in four of the last six Super Bowls. This would not have happened if Luck was in Philadelphia. Tom Brady would also have no Super Bowl in Tampa Bay, in my opinion, due to Luck.

In The End, Andrew Luck Doesn’t Retire

Ultimately, I do believe that Andrew Luck would have still been playing today if he had been drafted by the Eagles. Roseman would have surrounded him with the necessary pieces and protection to win, and Reid would have maximized Luck’s potential by coaching him to the best of his abilities. The hypothetical Philadelphia dynasty would have also led to Luck becoming an all-time great, rather than the all-time great what if he is today, and it motivates him to continue playing today.

Even though I'm not and never will be a Colts fan, I love Andrew Luck. He was so fun to watch and I related to him in the sense that he had no drama and was very quiet. He also wasn't viewed as “hip and cool” like many of his peers, which I also relate to.

What ifs are great to think about, and this particular one fascinates me. The NFL would have changed dramatically, for better or worse, if Luck had gone to Philadelphia. This August will mark five years since Luck retired, and I hope he knows that myself and other fans miss him everyday.

Serafino Diaz is a writer at Chaotically Intolerant, Phoenix's finest Vikings, Bucks, and Cubs fan, traveling everywhere I can.