Andrew Luck was drafted to replace the great one known as Peyton. Through six years, how does Luck stack up through Manning’s first six?
Andrew Luck was drafted as Peyton Manning‘s replacement back in 2012. No one can ever truly replace Manning on or off the field. His contributions on the field were fantastic obviously, but how does Luck stack to Manning at this point in his career?
The biggest difference is the amount of games played. Manning started every game in his first six seasons. Luck missed all of last season, and missed one game in 2016 and 9 in 2015. Manning had a better offensive line so he was able to stay healthy.
Manning led the league in passing twice during this span, in 2000 and 2003. Luck led the league once in 2014. Luck was selected to the Pro Bowl his first three years. Meanwhile, Manning was selected to the Pro Bowl four times in his first six years.
The biggest difference between these two is that Manning won his first MVP in his sixth year. Luck has not come close to winning an MVP yet. Year six was where Manning started to hit his prime. Luck hasn’t quite hit his prime yet, but most of that is due to injuries.
There is also a comparison to be made between the two off the field as well. Manning was well known to be a great philanthropist in Indy. He has a hospital named after him. Luck has his own reading club in the city, and helps out around town as well. They are both tremendous in this regard.
Next: Colts' T.Y. Hilton Avoiding Fast Food, In Best Shape of Life
It’s very hard to compare a legend to his replacement. Luck will always be compared to Manning because he plays in Indianapolis. At this point, Luck definitely has some work to do if he wants to catch up to Manning’s legacy. Colts fans would be lucky to see him do so.