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“Still Got It”: Andrew Luck and Chuck Pagano’s $1 Million Football Fundraiser Throw Elicits Heartwarming Reaction

Published 04/13/2024, 11:31 PM EDT

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Former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck still has it in him despite his premature retirement in 2019. He was the first overall pick by the Colts in the 2012 NFL Draft and went on to play seven seasons before retiring at 29. The 4x Pro Bowler set the NFL record for the most passing yards in a rookie season with 4,374 yards, which touted him as one of the best QBs of his time. 

Luck retired due to recurrent injuries but still got his accuracy and arm strength. He proved it to his fans under one-minute pressure to complete the task from Colts owner Jim Irsay for a good cause. Four years after hanging up his cleats, he appears at the 12th annual Chuckstrong Tailgate Gala to team up with his former HC and cancer survivor Chuck Pagano.

Andrew Luck and Chuck Pagano accomplished Irsay’s challenge

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On Friday, Irsay promised $1 million to cancer research if Andrew Luck and Chuck Pagano could knock down the 16 boards with Pagano’s face in 60 seconds. The mission was accomplished as Luck delivered the challenge with six seconds remaining. This highly electrifying video caught the interest of so many fans, and one person commented, “He still got it.”

Andrew Luck, who stole all the attention in the video, said of his appearance at the event, “It’s great. I get excited coming back to this building… It’s fun to support, fun to give back, but like Chuck is giving back to this community.” Ultimately, the fundraiser made $1.5 million to assist Indiana University’s Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center. All in all, the Chuckstrong Tailgate Gala has raised $15.5 million for cancer research. And the way the latest event was conducted, fans can’t stop talking about it.

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Fans love seeing Andrew Luck back in action

A lot of fans were hyped to see Luck make a return to display his throwing skills. A fan commented, “I love seeing a football back in Andrew’s hands. Brings back great memories and not sad ones too but overall good ones.” 

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Another fan strongly believes in the skills of Luck as he said, “Luck could come back and still be top ten in the league. Dawg.”

Luck’s talent is also dug up, and a user questioned, “Am I the only one that noticed that Andrew Luck still has his accuracy and arm strength?

Some fans, however, threw hilarious subtle digs at Pagano, given he hit only a few boards. “Luck carried Chuck.”

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One person appreciated the noble donation by Irsay, saying, “What a generous and loving thing to do. Great Jim.” 

After all, Irsay made all this excitement happen in the first place.

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Written by:

Khosalu Puro

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Khosalu Puro is an NFL writer at EssentiallySports. She comes with a unique ability to delve deep into the emotions of football athletes, their families, and fans, making her the perfect storyteller. Her coverage of Deion Sanders has been especially riveting for Prime Time's fans, showcasing her ability to provide layered coverage.
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Edited by:

Shubhankar Adhikari