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INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts are benching starting quarterback Matt Ryan in favor of second-year quarterback Sam Ehlinger for Sunday's game against the Washington Commanders.
Coach Frank Reich made the announcement Monday after Ryan threw two more interceptions in Sunday's 19-10 loss at Tennessee. Reich said Ryan suffered a separated throwing shoulder in the game, but that the decision to make a change was not injury related.
Ryan leads the NFL with nine interceptions and has fumbled 11 times this season. The 37-year-old Ryan has been sacked 24 times, taken 59 hits and ranks second in pass attempts with 297, largely because the Colts (3-3-1) have been unable to get their ground game churning.
Ehlinger was a sixth-round pick in 2021, but has taken a rapid ascent to his first NFL start. He started his rookie season on injured reserve, but joined the active roster in October. A strong preseason in 2022 put him in the conversation to supplant Super Bowl 52 MVP Nick Foles as No. 2 on the depth chart, a move Reich made before Indy's Week 6 game.
Ehlinger has appeared in three NFL games, but has never thrown a pass.
Reich said he was even more impressed with Ehlinger's practice leading up to the Tennessee game and now he's moved past Ryan, who ranks among the NFL's top 10 in career yards passing and career completions.
Ehlinger will be the seventh different starting quarterback Reich has used in his five-year tenure with the Colts.
Indy is 1 1/2 games behind Tennessee in the AFC South.
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