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The Indianapolis list continues to grow

Pabio November 3, 2024

It’s a good thing Goldilocks only had a few options in this famous fairy tale, because picking the right quarterback is much more difficult. Some have a strong arm but are not precise. Some are too short. Some have the tools but are not sporty enough. No player is perfect unless the future brings us lab-built robot quarterbacks. However, some teams are better than others when it comes to choosing the right human version.

THE Browns And Jets These are perhaps the most notable teams that have failed miserably to find a signal-caller, but don’t count the Colts. In recent history, Indianapolis has lived a pretty charmed life in the NFL, going from Peyton Manning to Andrew Luck. Since Luck’s surprise retirement in the summer of 2019, the Colts have gone from AFC contender to a team living up to its flyover state label.

“This is our Colts” has become a popular rallying song among fans through social media. The reality is that their Colts are a team stuck in the middle, arguably the worst place to be. Not good enough to win it all. Not serious enough to really hit rock bottom. On what has become a roster that has ten quarterbacks in just six years, the Colts are leaving no stone unturned in trying to find a quarterback solution. Here’s a look at everyone who’s taken to horseshoeing since the team’s luck ran out.

Indianapolis Colts starting quarterbacks since Andrew Luck

Jacoby Brissett (15 starts) 2019

Jacoby Brissett was the first quarterback to claim the starting job after Luck. As the story goes, Luck’s decision came suddenly during the preseason, leaving Indianapolis without many options. Brissett was simply the next man up and started 15 games in 2019. The then-27-year-old filled his role admirably, going 7-8 with 18 touchdowns and six interceptions.

Brian Hoyer (1 start) 2019

The well traveled Brian Hoyer appeared in Week 10 of the 2019 season after Brissett suffered a knee injury. He would continue to play against the Dolphins in what was his only start before Brissett returned to action.

Philip Rivers (16 starts) 2020

During the offseason after the Luck Bomb, the Colts decided to go the veteran route and sign Philippe Rivières. It proved to be a stabilizing move after a rough 2019 season, as the Chargers’ longtime starter helped the Colts make the playoffs in what became Rivers’ final NFL season. He threw 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, completing 68 percent of pass attempts.

Indianapolis went 11-5, finishing second behind the Tennessee Titans in the AFC South. They would fall to each other Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card Game and being forced to look for another signal-caller in the offseason.

Carson Wentz (17 starts) 2021

After Rivers retired, the Colts embarked on a rehab project at Carson Wentz. The former Philadelphia Eagles star fell off a cliff following his famous knee injury against the Los Angeles Rams. With Nick Foles and Jalen hurts Eventually taking over in the City of Brotherly Love, Wentz found himself on the sidelines and landed with a familiar face, Frank Reich.

The former Philadelphia offensive coordinator turned Indianapolis head coach had hoped to recapture the magic, but it never came to fruition. The 29-year-old went 9-8 with 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions, but he was unique in Indianapolis.

Matt Ryan (12 starts) 2022

As the Falcons’ eyes turned to Deshaun Watsonthe Colts were ready to win Matt Ryan. Indy once again went the veteran route in 2022, proving to be something of a retirement home for some of the league’s most successful but oldest quarterbacks.

Ryan, 37, was nothing like his former NFL MVP and struggled with a shoulder injury for most of the year. He finished with a record of 4-7-1 with 14 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Notably, he was at the center of one of the worst “Thursday Night Football” games in recent memory. The Colts won 12-9 Russell Wilson and the Broncosbut this match remains one of the many reasons why fans and players are against Thursday contests. Keeping with the theme, Ryan was also going one-on-one with the Colts. He would eventually retire and land a broadcasting job with CBS.

Sam Ehlinger (3 starts) 2022

While Ryan’s game was in sharp decline, Sam Ehlinger was rewarded for his mobility. At the time, Reich announced that the former Texas Longhorn would be the starting point of rest of this season. This experience lasted only two games before Ryan returned to action. Ehlinger would make one more start to finish the season. He remained as the third-string quarterback, but has not seen real game action since then.

Nick Foles (2 starts) 2022

It made sense for the Colts to employ Foles in the season following the Wentz experiment. The Super Bowl MVP reunited with Reich but led the offense to just six points in two starts while throwing four interceptions. Foles was eliminated in his second start thanks to a big hit from The giants Kayvon Thibodeaux. The 33-year-old joined Ryan to make his final stop in the NFL before finally announcing his retirement in 2024.

Anthony Richardson

Four seasons of musical quarterbacks proved too much for the team. Following the 2022 season, the Colts moved up to the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Anthony Richardson. THE Florida quarterback would be a project, but the tools were there for this electrifying prospect.

However, Richardson’s physical style of play only took a few games before haunting him. He was sidelined with a concussion and then ultimately, for the season, with a shoulder injury. Richardson showcased his skills in those games, showing the Indianapolis faithful what could happen. That wouldn’t translate to 2024, however. Head coach Shane Steichen would end the Richardson experiment with his poor play and return the Colts to the days of being starting quarterbacks heading toward retirement. Although the book is not entirely closed on him, it is possible that Steichen will finish the last chapter.

Gardner Minshew

With Richardson watching from the sidelines due to injury, Gardner Minshew was given the nod. He made 13 starts in 2023 before leaving to sign a deal with the Las Vegas Raiders. Minshew was a useful option and went 7-6 in those starts, but the Colts missed the playoffs again and the hope was that Richardson would be the answer.

Joe Flacco

The latest entrant on this list is the 39 year old man Joe Flacco. The quarterback has traveled a lot in recent years, but remains a fairly consistent veteran option. Steichen left Richardson, saying Flacco gives the team the best chance to win. It is far from his first years in Baltimore with the Crowsbut the veteran has been able to help sink offensive ships regularly in recent history.