The Indianapolis Colts have made a significant decision as head coach Frank Reich announced that Sam Ehlinger will be the Colts starting quarterback going forward.
The 2021 sixth-round pick has yet to throw a pass in the NFL and is set to make his first NFL start on Sunday at home against the Washington Commanders. Matt Ryan, whom the Colts acquired from the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for a third-round pick in the offseason, has struggled to throw down the field due heavily to the poor play of the Colts offensive line and thus making it a struggle so far this season for the Colts.
Hear from head coach Frank Reich on today's QB announcement: pic.twitter.com/zdkqmQcnbt
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) October 24, 2022
Ehlinger has just three rushing attempts for a total of 9 yards in his career, which occurred during his rookie season, but he has yet to attempt a pass in a regular season NFL game. The 24-year-old Texas product is known for his toughness as he had many Tim Tebow-Esque moments while at Texas, meaning there were many plays in which Ehlinger would not go down and keep fighting.
Ehlinger, aside from being a fighter on the field, has also faced some challenging moments off the field as he has lost his dad and brother over the past ten years. The strength and resilience he has shown on and off the field in his young life will benefit Ehlinger as he plays his first game as an NFL starting quarterback.
Although many of the offense’s struggles can be pointed at Matt Ryan, as previously mentioned, the offensive line has not done a great job; however, it is very understandable as to why Reich and crew decided to make the QB change here, as Ehlinger may be able to provide a spark as well as some mobility which is not one of Ryan’s strengths. With the Colts tough start to the season, it also makes sense to give Ehlinger a chance here as this is just the beginning for him, and the end is nearing for Matt Ryan, so you might as well allow the young guy to show what he can do.
Ready to watch Sam Ehlinger in his first NFL start on Sunday! pic.twitter.com/I1pkFCXNsX
— Hook'em Headlines (@HookemHeadlines) October 26, 2022
Something of note here is that Ryan is guaranteed to receive $24 million from Indianapolis within the next two seasons; therefore, it will be interesting to see if the Colts will be able to trade him or even buy him out. Something else to point out is that Ryan is now the third quarterback on the depth chart, as Super Bowl champ Nick Foles remains QB2 for the Colts. With Foles also on a hefty deal of his own, perhaps Indy can find a QB-desperate team willing to take a shot on Ryan and see what he has left in the tank.
Let us know what you think about the Colts deciding to start Sam Ehlinger by either leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post or by sending us a tweet at @celebsecrets.
