Jags LS offers to buy tickets from salty Colts fans
Stephen A. Smith sees why some Colts fans booed Andrew Luck because he decided to retire so close to the start of the season. (1:48)
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville Jaguars long-snapper Matt Overton has an idea to solve the problem of disgruntled Indianapolis Colts fans wanting refunds on their season tickets: Message him. He’ll buy them.
Overton, who played five seasons with the Colts (2012-16), made that offer on Twitter on Monday morning after seeing reports on social media that Colts season-ticket holders, upset over the abrupt retirement of quarterback Andrew Luck, wanted their money back. He said he plans to donate the tickets to Riley Hospital for Children in downtown Indianapolis.
To any angry Colts season ticket holders who are seeking a refund,
I’d be more than happy to buy your season tix off of you & donate them to @RileyChildrens patients & their families. I’m serious.
All love,
~Matt
“Riley Hospital is near and dear to me,” Overton said. “It’s near and dear to the entire community of Indianapolis and if we can help these kids and families go to a game and cheer on their favorite team, the Colts, let’s make it happen.”
Overton hadn’t gotten any takers on his offer by mid-afternoon, but he did get a lot of positive feedback and support of his tweet.
A Colts spokesman said the team has received only a handful of calls seeking refunds, adding that they’ve also been selling single-game and season tickets as normal since Luck’s announcement.
Overton still lives in Indianapolis in the offseason and said his fiancée is from the city, too, and that he “loves calling Indy home.” He knows how devastated the Colts fan base was when ESPN’s Adam Schefter broke the news of Luck’s decision to retire on Saturday night, but he was upset with the harsh words and criticism Luck got on social media.
“You can obviously tell he’s going through a real big struggle and has been for quite some time now,” Overton said. “Being former teammates with him and playing alongside him for five years I know the man he is, the competitor he is, the teammate he is and people are questioning his character and his toughness and all that kind of stuff, and I just think it’s B.S. The dude is incredibly strong. He’s obviously going through some very difficult decisions right now and made a very difficult decision to retire.
“It’s hard on the fan base. It’s hard on the team. It’s hard on the organization. And it’s hard for guys like me who played with him and friends to see him going through that. Just hopeful that he finds that peace and joy and his health going forward.”
ESPN’s Mike Wells contributed to this report.