The Indianapolis Colts are limping into the final stretch of the season - and not just in the standings. Head coach Shane Steichen has been forced to wear more hats than usual lately, and none of them are particularly fun.
With his team dropping four of its last five, the losses are piling up - and so are the injuries. Week 14 didn’t just bring another mark in the “L” column; it delivered a gut punch to a roster already stretched thin.
Let’s start with the biggest blow: quarterback Daniel Jones is done for the year. The Achilles tear he suffered against Jacksonville is a season-ender, and potentially a season-delayer for 2026 as well.
Jones, who was brought in to stabilize a quarterback room decimated by injuries, now finds himself facing a long road to recovery. And with free agency looming in 2026, the Colts may be forced to make some tough decisions about whether he’s part of their future.
This all comes as the team tries to justify the aggressive moves it made earlier this year - most notably, sending two first-round picks to land star cornerback Sauce Gardner. That’s a win-now move, but the Colts are suddenly looking more like a patchwork unit than a postseason threat.
And the hits just keep coming.
In his postgame press conference following the loss to the Jaguars, Steichen revealed even more troubling news. Charvarius Ward, one of the Colts’ top corners, entered concussion protocol after the game. If confirmed, it would be his third concussion of the season - a concerning pattern for any player, especially in a league that’s rightfully paying closer attention to head injuries.
Right tackle Braden Smith is also in concussion protocol, and he’s dealing with a neck issue on top of that. Both Ward and Smith are now question marks for the Colts’ upcoming matchup against the 10-3 Seattle Seahawks - a team that’s been rolling and boasts one of the most aggressive defenses in the league under Mike Macdonald.
As for Sauce Gardner? He’s likely out in Week 15 with a calf injury, and this could be more than a one-week absence. That leaves the Colts perilously thin in the secondary - not ideal when you’re about to face a Seahawks offense that can spread you out and stretch you deep.
And just when you thought the quarterback situation couldn’t get any murkier, Steichen added one more wrinkle. Riley Leonard, the presumed starter with Jones out and Anthony Richardson still sidelined after suffering a broken orbital bone earlier this season, is now dealing with knee soreness. The team is “hopeful” he’ll be able to go in Seattle, but that’s far from a guarantee.
If Leonard can’t suit up, the next man up would be Brett Rypien - a veteran with 11 career starts under his belt, but little to show for them. He’s been on the practice squad, and while he’s familiar with NFL speed, he hasn’t faced a Mike Macdonald defense before. That’s not exactly the matchup you want when you’re trying to keep your playoff hopes alive.
So here’s where things stand heading into Week 15: Daniel Jones is out for the season. DeForest Buckner and Sauce Gardner are out for the week.
Charvarius Ward and Braden Smith are in the concussion protocol and could miss time. Riley Leonard is banged up.
And the Colts are heading to Seattle to face a 10-win Seahawks team that’s playing with confidence and physicality.
It’s a brutal stretch for a team that came into the season with playoff aspirations. Now, they’re just trying to hold the roster together.