Insane.
Ryan Grigson killed Andrew Luck's career.
Pressured 16 times per game under Grigson's watch, MOST in NFL & hit MOST of any QB.
From 2012-2015, Grigson drafted just 3 O-Linemen before rd 7:
•Hugh Thornton (trash)
•Jack Mewhort (trash)
•Khaled Holmes (trash)
So sad.
"Injury took my joy of this game away"
About playing for Frank Reich last yr: "am I allowed to have this much fun on a football field?"
He didn't lose his joy last yr, he lost his joy due to frequent injury.
Lesson to all teams that screw around thinking O-Line isn't critical.
How did Ryan Grigson systematically curtail Andrew Luck's career?
Luck started 51 straight games, then missed 26 of his next 45.
An in-depth look at how the decisions a GM made contributed to destroying the career of one of the best young NFL QBs:
sharpfootballanalysis.com/analysis/andre…
It started with spending in free agency.
From 2013-2015, Grigson spent $329M in free agency, for an avg of $110M annually.
The #2 most in the NFL.
He primarily spent on the defensive side.
To offset his defensive spending, he had to make his offense cheaper.
And so he did.
The allocation of cap $ to the offensive side of the ball progressively decreased.
By 2014 & 2015, the Colts offense was a bottom-4 cap hit each year & #2 cheapest overall in the NFL.
Their cheapest position group in 2015?
O-line
Remember: Luck never missed a start until 2015
Who did Grigson use to protect Luck in 2015?
Joe Reitz: an undrafted NCAABB player (not football) signed to play TE, converted to O-Line
Jonotthan Harrison: another undrafted lineman
Thornton & Mewhort - Grigson draft picks. Both washed out of the NFL after their rookie deals.
Grigson also used LT Anthony Castonzo to protect Luck's blindside in 2015. Castonzo was the best player on the line, and was drafted by drafted Bill Polian the year before Grigson was hired.
(Note: Mewhort was better than he sounded. Injuries likewise shortened his career.)
Here's Luck in Grigson's term
Format: pressure % | sack/hit % (per PFF)
2012: 38.1% | 8%
2013: 37.5% | 6%
2014: 36.2% | 5%
2015: 40.2% | 14%
2016: 44.3% | 9%
Luck always played aggressively but the pressures & hits sharply increased in 2015, as O-line $ & talent decreased
Grigson was fired after 2016.
Luck missed 2017.
New GM Ballard gave him a new line in 2018.
Coupled with Reich's play calls, look at the change:
2015: 40.2% | 14%
2016: 44.3% | 9%
2017: ...
2018: 29.5% | 3%
It's not a miracle.
It's choosing not to neglect the O-Line.
Pressures, hits and sacks are not the sole responsibility of any one person.
• GM: for talent on O-Line
• O-line: for performance
• Play-caller: for plays he calls, progressions designed, audible ability entrusted to QB
• QB: for how he plays, moves & gets rid of the ball
But what is undeniable fact:
Under Grigson’s watch, over a five-year span:
• he spent less and less along the offensive line
• provided Luck with weaker and weaker talent for protection
• it resulted in Luck being the most pressured and hit quarterback in the NFL
We can't entirely blame Luck's early retirement on Grigson.
But we know it was a key contributing factor.
I hope this added context to Luck's injury history & serves as a lesson for other GMs about the importance of protecting QBs around the NFL.
More: sharpfootballanalysis.com/analysis/andre…
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