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Colts bench Matt Ryan for shocking option: Best memes and tweets

ByRylie Smith|
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - OCTOBER 23: Matt Ryan #2 of the Indianapolis Colts passes the ball against the Tennessee Titans during the first half at Nissan Stadium on October 23, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - OCTOBER 23: Matt Ryan #2 of the Indianapolis Colts passes the ball against the Tennessee Titans during the first half at Nissan Stadium on October 23, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Matt Ryan has been benched with an injury, and he’s being replaced by a shocking option.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Matt Ryan has been benched with a grade-2 sprain to his right shoulder, and he’s reportedly going to be benched for the rest of the season. The Colts are going to have Sam Ehlinger start instead, a decision that isn’t all that surprising to those who cover the Colts. According to Ian Rapoport and other NFL insiders, the Colts were planning to make the switch regardless of Ryan’s injury.

Ehlinger is a shocking option to some because he doesn’t have much NFL experience. He was drafted in 2021 as a sixth-round pick and has only played in three games total in his career, all of which were in 2021. Remarkably, Ehlinger has yet to throw a pass in a regular season NFL game.

Ryan played for the Atlanta Falcons from 2008 through 2021 before joining Indianapolis this season, and he’s racked up an overall completion percentage of 65.6 with 61,743 passing yards and 376 touchdowns.

Taking a chance on Ehlinger illustrates just how little the Colts have to work with, as Ryan is “simply not getting it done on the field,” as Rapoport put it. Describing the offense as a “mess”, Rapoport also noted that “clearly, Ryan is struggling to make some of the throws.” The Colts continued their quarterback carousel by bringing in the veteran passer, but at this point, teh unproven Ehlinger is worth starting over Ryan. After all, Ehlinger could be a prodigy sixth-round pick like Tom Brady if given the chance to develop this season.

Best memes and Tweets about Colts new starting QB Sam Ehlinger

The Pat McAfee Show did not disappoint in their overjoyed reaction to hearing that Ehlinger would be starting for the Colts.

“The world needs Sam Ehlinger,” McAfee declared.

But McAfee’s affinity for the new Colts quarterback isn’t shared by everyone who follows the team, as there are a few mixed reactions on Ehlinger. One fan made a humorous tweet with a photo of a toy tank and wrote, “Colts unveil their new logo after announcing Sam Ehlinger as starter.”

One is calling out Michael Reich for being desperate. They wrote, “I’m Sorry, Sam Ehlinger should not be a starting NFL QB. Reich is getting desperate.”

Another is simply confused as to why the Colts are benching a veteran quarterback for the rest of the season for Ehlinger. The fan wrote, “Colts what we doin benching Matt Ryan for Sam Ehlinger.”

For those who haven’t followed Ehlinger’s career closely, NFL analyst Derrik Klassen offered a useful comparison.

Others were excited to see Ehlinger take on the starting role.

Bringing in Ehlinger may not be the best choice, but only time will tell how this will play out in Indianapolis.

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