Who is Sam Ehlinger?

The Indianapolis Colts are reportedly benching starting quarterback Matt Ryan and turning to backup Sam Ehlinger after a loss to the Tennessee Titans in Week 7. The Colts are 3-3-1 this season with Ryan as the starter, and head coach Frank Reich says that Indianapolis plans on using Ehlinger for the remainder of the season.

Ehlinger was a sixth-round draft pick for the Colts in 2021. Coming off a four-year stint as a Texas Longhorn, he was in the same draft class as Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, Mac Jones, and Zach Wilson, and was left on the board for a long time.

His Texas career was one of the best in Longhorns history, totaling 94 touchdowns and 27 receptions over four seasons as the Longhorns’ starter. He finished 27-16 with 11,436 passing yards.

In 2022 preseason games, Ehlinger went 24-of-29 for 289 passing yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions, adding 71 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

Since getting drafted into the NFL, he hasn’t seen much on-field action, limited to a few rushing attempts in 2021, the most successful of which took him nine yards against the Buffalo Bills.

It’s an interesting choice from the Colts to go with someone entirely new to the league, especially with Nick Foles sitting in the third-string spot. Ehlinger’s first ever NFL start will take place against the Washington Commanders on Sunday, October 30.