BREAKING: Colts set to bench Matt Ryan for Nick Foles for remainder of 2022 NFL season
The Indianapolis Colts decided to bench quarterback Matt Ryan in favor of Nick Foles for the rest of the 2022-23 NFL season.
Foles, 33, joined the Colts this offseason on a two-year contract, reuniting with head coach Frank Reich, who was fired after Week 9. The veteran quarterback led the Eagles to a Super Bowl win in 2017, with Reich as his offensive coordinator.
This is the second time that Matt Ryan has gone to the bench this season. In October, when Reich was still the head coach, Ryan was benched in favor of Sam Ehlinger. Ehlinger then lost the starter job once Jeff Saturday took over head coach duties following Reich's dismissal.
The Indianapolis Colts have a 4-9-1 record. They're officially eliminated from playoff contention.
Interested in betting? The Colts are underdogs against the Chargers in Monday Night Football for Week 16.
Nick Foles: One of the greatest journeymen in NFL history
Foles is a veteran quarterback who was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2012. He has also played for the Los Angeles Rams (then St. Louis Rams), the Kansas City Chiefs, the Chicago Bears, and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
He famously led the Eagles to an unlikely 41-33 Super Bowl victory against the New England Patriots. Quarterback Carson Wentz got hurt late in the 2017 season and Foles took over with two magical games in the playoffs as the Eagles went on a magical run.
Are the Colts right by giving Nick Foles a shot?
The fact that the Colts are giving Nick Foles the final three games comes as a bit of a surprise. Although Matt Ryan is far from playing at a high level, it would make much more sense to give Sam Ehlinger another chance to showcase his talents.
With Foles, there's not much else to gain. At 33, he's a backup-level quarterback. Even if he leads the Colts to three straight wins to end the season, not only would this hurt their draft picks, but it still wouldn't represent a long-term solution for the organization.
Interim head coach Jeff Saturday knows that he's auditioning to keep the job, but thinking about a short-term gain in a lost season does not make any sense.