Could Jim Irsay take action on the Commanders after Andrew Luck report?

Could Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay take action on the Washington Commanders after their report interest in quarterback Andrew Luck?

The Washington Commanders made no secret of their desire to improve their quarterback options heading into the 2022 campaign. No stone was left unturned by the franchise, with countless calls made before eventually striking a trade with the Indianapolis Colts for Carson Wentz.

This raised more than a few eyebrows considering how things were unfolding where the former No. 2 overall selection was concerned. Wentz had two bad seasons under his belt before joining the Commanders and it didn't take long to figure out this trade was not going to go as Ron Rivera hoped.

Wentz was his erratic self early in the campaign before going down through injury. Rivea gave him one more chance to prove himself down the stretch, but he once again failed to meet even modest targets and was released to save $26.17 million against their cap after just one season.

Commanders could face action after reported Andrew Luck call

According to a recent report from John Keim of ESPN, Wentz wasn't the first Colts quarterback the Commanders wanted. The insider claimed that calls had been made to inquire about the possibility of Andrew Luck ending his retirement and moving to Washington, which set the NFL rumor mill ablaze over the weekend.

"They called every team that might have a quarterback available. They even phoned about retired Andrew Luck, just in case. "

- John Keim, ESPN

This might have been a courtesy call on the off chance Luck changed his mind. However, judging by a tweet posted by Colts owner Jim Irsay in the story's immediate aftermath, it's clear he was far from thrilled about possible tampering without the team's consent.

"If any NFL Team,attempted to contact Andrew Luck (or any associate of him)… to play for their Franchise - it would be a clear Violation of the League’s Tampering Policy."

- Jim Irsay via Twitter

This was directed primarily at the Commanders. It also represented a stark warning to other teams with the same idea despite Luck being out of the league for four seasons now.

Irsay and Dan Snyder's relationship is a frosty one, and that's being polite. But could the report surrounding Washington's inquiry about Luck be the excuse needed to lay one final sanction at the departing owner's door?

Stephen Holder of ESPN provided further clarification on the matter, stating that the possibility of Irsay and the Colts taking this further hasn't been ruled out. Something that could see the Commanders face a heavy fine and perhaps even lose draft capital for good measure.

"This is a reference to a mention of the Commanders reaching out in 2022 to a third party to assess Andrew Luck’s interest in coming out of retirement. It obviously went nowhere. He’s done playing. But the Colts own his rights and might pursue it, I’m told."

- Stephen Holders, ESPN via Twitter

Considering the Commanders are about to embark on an exciting new era under the ownership group led by Josh Harris, this is the last thing anybody needs. If this also costs them a first-round pick similar to the Miami Dolphins in 2023, it would be nothing short of disastrous.

Irsay is often unpredictable and won't take this lying down, one suspects. The prospect of getting one over on Snyder for the final time only sweetens the pot.

All fans can do is wait and hope nothing further emerges. Even though Irsay is more than capable of demanding more investigation from the league.