Truly the biggest NFL story this week is Andrew Luck’s retirement. A decision that even left an impact on the Cincinnati Bengals preseason finale. While prompting further concerns about players safety and the NFL’s future.

Luck spent his entire professional career as a quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts. Though he spent much of the last three years sidelined by injuries. Many were hopeful that he turned a corner last year. Through a season where he helped lead the Colts to the playoffs. Earning the acolade of comeback player of the year in the process.

Yet, this offseason hasn’t been kind to Luck’s health. He suffered a calf strain that caused him to miss the preseason. This and a string of injuries makes his retirement understandable. Luck is far from being the first player to retire due to health concerns. The more significant aspect to this story is frankly Luck’s age.

Luck is the most recent high profile NFL player to retire before his 30th birthday. The average NFL career lasts around three years, according to the NFL Players Association. Most players retire with a massive chunk of their lives still in front of them. Regardless of how long their playing careers last. Luck and other players are retiring with that also in mind.

On a Bengals note, Luck’s retirement added some intrigue to something that’s rarely intriging. The Bengals and Colts annual exhibition to end the preseason. Starters rarely play in the final preseason game; they’re really a battle for final spots on the 53 man roster. That trend held true in a 13-6 Bengals loss in Cincinnati on Thursday night. Thanks to a Bengals offense that struggled to find the endzone.

Also on a Cincinnati note, the Bengals themselves had a player retire young due to health concerns. Clint Boling recently back in July due to a blood clot. Like Luck, Boling spent his entire career with the team that drafted him. Playing eight seasons as a guard for the Bengals. These decisions should be a significant concern for the NFL.

Concerns over player safety have been a significant storyline for the league recently. These concerns aren’t just leading players to retire at a younger age. Before more potential damage is done to their health. Recently, headlines emerged about a drop in high school football participation. That’s likely to make the NFL more nervous about the league’s future.

Participation is down in high school sports in general. Dropping overall for the first time in 30 years. Yet, football is leading the way in that overall decline. Concerns about safety can’t be ignored as a significant factor here. Parents increasingly seem less willing to steer their kids towards football.

This drop in participation and safety concerns are troubling for football’s cultural cache. For generations, the sport has held a strong place in American culture. Many take up football either because their friends or family are also playing. A type of peer pressure due to a state or school’s football reputation is another factor. The drop in youth participation shows signs that this trend is changing.

Football’s dominance in American culture is not likely to change entirely. Though it will if the sport doesn’t take safety concerns more seriously.