Andrew Luck Will Return to Stanford

by Scott Allen on Jan 6, 2026 12:51 PM PST

How's this for some great news?! Redshirt sophomore quarterback Andrew Luck announced that he is returning to Stanford for his junior season in a brief school-issued statement.

"I am committed to earning my degree in architectural design from Stanford University and am on track to accomplish this at the completion of the spring quarter of 2012," Luck said.

Hello, Heisman. Your move, coach Harbaugh.

I'll have more on this tonight. In the meantime, check out the coverage on SB Nation Bay Area.

YES!

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I think this is pretty awesome…and not just from a “its good for Stanford football” standpoint. Although it is pretty sweet for the Cardinal next season. But here’s a kid who is primed to be the first pick in the draft and have millions upon millions of dollars heaped upon him…all he has to do is bail on his education. And he’s saying no, I want to finish my degree, because that means something to me. And he doesn’t care about all the people who will call him stupid for forgoing immediate millions, he’s doing what he wants to do, and what he feels is best for him as a person. And that, at least in my eyes, is very, very commendable.

"If you can accept losing, you can't win." ~Vince Lombardi
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by ZeroIndulgence on Jan 6, 2026 1:12 PM PST reply actions

He's also saying

“I’m not giving up a year of college ball for the possibility of a lockout where I make $0.” Just sayin’…

@WorldBLee

by worldblee on Jan 7, 2026 6:57 AM PST up reply actions

He's the kinda guy you want your kids to grow up to be like..........

Kudos to Mr and Mrs Luck for raising a kid who has his priorities set………It’s rare and refreshing, thats for sure.

The score dictated they pass

by norcaliangelsfan on Jan 6, 2026 1:14 PM PST reply actions

+1

"you owe it to yourself to be the best in baseball and in life" Pete rose.
F the jets, bills, patriots and cryboys...and sooners, but go phins, longhorns, dodgers and stanford!
Driver of the ryan williams go-kart.

by dolger14 on Jan 7, 2026 5:04 PM PST up reply actions

Wow

Agree with you both, Zero and NorCali. How cool that he saw that a chance for a degree from Stanford in a field that he (seems to) enjoy is ALSO an opportunity. The sports writers seemed to forget that a big money contract wasn’t the only appealing choice in front of him.

That said, I’m happy for him as a person and, you know, I’m happy for Stanford as a football team, too!

by KnittingGene on Jan 6, 2026 1:19 PM PST reply actions

Check out on cbssports.com

The great article from Dodd and the idiotic one from Pete Prisco. Some people cannot grasp that maximizing dollars in the short run is not everyone’s life goal.

by Gus Zernial on Jan 6, 2026 1:24 PM PST reply actions

I agree

I find it intriguing that Prisco can’t even acknowledge that making a choice made on earning potential is only ONE way to go. It’s not the default BETTER way, but you’d never know it from his article.

Thanks for pointing out those articles, Gus.

by KnittingGene on Jan 6, 2026 1:56 PM PST up reply actions

Eh someone has to play devil's advocate........every major outlet is gonna have guys like Prisco.......

but the negative opinions about it no more better or worse than the positive opinions (like Dodd’s) about it………

The score dictated they pass

by norcaliangelsfan on Jan 6, 2026 1:58 PM PST up reply actions

Woot!

To me, this demonstrates the potential of Stanford football (and athletics in general). A Stanford degree can be a tremendous asset, especially to a football player, where one bad play can end your career. It is great to see that Luck realizes that and has chosen to take advantage of it.

This is also great news should Harbaugh leave. You have to think Stanford will be very attractive to potential head coaches - you get to coach a pre-made Heisman candidate right of the bat!

by RickeySteals on Jan 6, 2026 1:40 PM PST reply actions

That was a really dumb decision.

I thought Stanford people were supposed to be smart. The guy was practically guaranteed the number one draft spot. He couldn’t get any better than that. What if he regresses next season? He could miss out on a lot of money. What if he incurs a lingering injury? He could miss out on even more money.

Who cares about earning some architectural degree right now? He can always go back to school after his NFL career is over. I’m sure he would be able to afford a year of Stanford with all the tens of millions he’d have. He’ll have to get a Masters afterwards anyway. No one is going to hire him with an undergraduate degree he earned ten to fifteen years ago, unless he was hired purely because he’s famous, which he probably would be in this ridiculous society.

This was even more baffling than Clemson’s quarterback risking his first round MLB career by returning to play college football. Opportunities are wasted on the youth. Where was this kid’s parents in this decision? I’m even more upset ’cause my professional team had the first overall pick.

stuff 'bout stuff.

by silver82blade on Jan 6, 2026 6:10 PM PST reply actions

It was clearly about more than the money and the degree.

Luck doesn’t necessarily stand to lose much money by returning to Stanford. There’s no reason to think he won’t be a high draft pick next season, even if he somehow slips from the top spot or suffers an injury. In addition to earning his degree, he gets to spend another year on a beautiful campus with some of his best friends and make a run at a Pac-10 Championship.

As a Panthers fan, the news has to be hard to take. After Luck announced his decision, a friend texted me in jest: “Every building that Andrew Luck designs will be blown up by depressed Panthers fans. I hope he can live with that guilt.”

As a Redskins fan, I understand your pain. I’m already hoping for a 2-14 season. Race you to last place…

by Scott Allen on Jan 6, 2026 7:12 PM PST up reply actions

It's not even about personal happiness to me.

I’m a big supporter of helping fiscally responsible charities. If I were in his position it would be a no-brainer to me. I could either make a ton of cash now, and help some of the millions of people starving or dying of preventable diseases around the world, or get a stupid architectural degree. Hmm … tough one.

stuff 'bout stuff.

by silver82blade on Jan 6, 2026 8:15 PM PST up reply actions

While I think

that I know the value of an education, I believe that this was a bad decision. With the salary cap coming into play and the risk of injury, I hope that it works out for him.

Personally, I am glad that he will be back. Not a decision that I would have made, honestly.

by jterry94 on Jan 6, 2026 7:30 PM PST via mobile reply actions

Surely everyone understands there is a very high probability

of an NFL lockout and no NFL season in 2011. If there wasn’t a possible lockout, I’m sure it would have been a tougher call for Luck. I’m very glad he’s staying, don’t get me wrong. Harbaugh will probably stay with him, and Stanford should be very strong next year.

@WorldBLee

by worldblee on Jan 7, 2026 7:00 AM PST reply actions

Great win over Va. Tech and its good to see someone as great as Andrew Luck come back to college.

My team joins the Pac-12 next year and the only way we play is if we meet in the first Pac-12 championship game.

On february 5th 2011 at UFC 126 Jon "Bones" Jones will show the world that their was no need for the MMA community to hype this man because this guy is a beast with many skills and i personally will feel Ryan "Darth" Bader's pain after this fight. SB Nation's public enemy #1.

by wolfmanshowlforever on Jan 9, 2026 8:30 PM PST reply actions