Peyton Manning, the 17-year pro will be enshrined in Canton this weekend. For the Colts it's been a rollercoaster ride replacing him.
This offseason, highly-regarded Indianapolis Colts' general manager Chris Ballard orchestrated a trade to bring former Eagles' quarterback Carson Wentz. The team did not give up a lot for the five-year pro. The club was hoping a reunion with Frank Reich could help him get his career back on track.
But the second overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft will now be out approximately 5-12 weeks (via ESPN's Adam Schefter) following foot surgery. When it comes to filling the void behind center, the Colts have had their ups and downs since 2011.
University of Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning was the first overall pick by the Colts in 1998 via general manager Bill Polian. The Pro Football Hall of Fame executive chose him over Ryan Leaf and the rest is NFL history. He would start every game for the team for 13 consecutive years. The franchise would reach the playoffs 11 times over that span and won a Super Bowl title (XLI) in 2006. During his days with the club, Manning threw 399 TD passes compared to only 198 interceptions in 204 regular-season contests.
But then came those neck surgeries and the prolific signal-caller missed all of 2011. In 2012, he was released by the organization and was signed by the Denver Broncos. Like his stay with the Colts, Manning would be part of two Super Bowl teams, and in his final game he and the Denver Broncos were on the right side of a 24-10 win over the Panthers in Super Bowl 50.
Lots of Faces Behind Center Tried Replacing Peyton Manning
So it's been 10 seasons without "The Sheriff" in Indianapolis and there's been a slew of starting quarterbacks. That year, the team relied on Kerry Collins (0-3), Curtis Painter (0-8) and Dan Orlovsky (2-3). The team lost its first 13 games and finished with the worst record in the NFL at 2-14.
The Colts would use the first overall pick in 2012 to select Stanford's Andrew Luck. He started every game his first three seasons and led the team to the postseason each year. But then came the injury issues. He missed nine games in 2015 and it was backups Matt Hasselbeck and Josh Freeman to the rescue. He returned in '16 but Scott Tolzien did make one start on Thanksgiving night.
Luck missed all of 2017 so it was Tolzien (0-1) followed by Jacoby Brissett for the final 15 games. Back came Luck in 2018 and he parlayed a solid year into another playoff appearance for the team. But he surprised many the following summer when he announced his retirement. Brissett was back for another 15 contests and Brian Hoyer would make one start.
This past season, it was veteran Philip Rivers who started all 16 games and the wild card clash at Buffalo. But he announced his retirement following 2020. It was one of the reasons Ballard made the deal for Wentz. Of course, the Colts used a fourth-round draft choice in '20 on Washington's Jacob Eason. This year, the team drafted Texas' Sam Ehlinger in the sixth round. The team recently signed Brett Hundley, late of the Cardinals. Wentz and Jalen Morton make five quarterbacks under contract. Meanwhile, there are no plans to bring any other quarterbacks in at this time (via ESPN's Chris Mortensen).
It's unfortunate for Wentz but hopefully he will be back sooner than later. Meanwhile, Manning will be a busy man on Sunday in Canton, Ohio.
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