2019 Indianapolis Colts season


The 2019 season was the Indianapolis Colts' 67th in the National Football League and their 36th in Indianapolis. It was also their second season under head coach Frank Reich and third under the leadership of general manager Chris Ballard.
For the first time since 2011, quarterback Andrew Luck was not on the roster, as he announced his retirement on August 24, 2019. A four-time Pro Bowler and the top pick in the 2012 Draft, Luck led the Colts to four playoff appearances, an appearance in the AFC Championship Game in the 2014 season, and won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award in 2018. A four-year cycle of injuries and rehab that dated back to 2015 had "taken his joy of this game away," which led to his decision of retiring.
Despite a strong 5-2 start, the Colts would go on to lose 7 of their next 9 games, being eliminated from playoff contention after a Week 15 loss to the New Orleans Saints. This late-season collapse was partially a result of injuries to key skill players such as QB Jacoby Brissett, WR T.Y. Hilton, RB Marlon Mack and TE Eric Ebron. They also failed to improve or match their 10-6 record from the previous season.
Despite the disappointing season, the Colts managed to defeat the eventual Super Bowl champions the Kansas City Chiefs and limit the Chiefs offense to only 13 points, its lowest total since QB Patrick Mahomes became the Chiefs' starter in 2018.

Draft

RoundSelectionPlayerPositionCollegeNotes
234Rock Ya-SinCBTempleFrom New York Jets
249Ben BanoguLBTCUFrom Cleveland Browns
259Parris CampbellWROhio State
389Bobby OkerekeLBStanford
4109Khari WillisSMSU
5144Marvell TellSUSCFrom Cleveland Browns
5164E. J. SpeedLBTarleton State
6199Gerri GreenDEMississippi State
7240Jackson BartonTUtah
7246Javon PattersonCOle Miss

Notes

Final roster

Preseason

The team was rocked by the decision August 24 by starting quarterback Andrew Luck that he would immediately retire from professional football due to chronic injury problems and the emotional and mental strain they had extracted. Luck, the 2018 NFL Comeback Player of the Year, had been battling a mysterious and slow-healing leg injury, described by the team variously as a "calf strain" and a "high ankle issue."
Luck, a 7-year professional with four appearances in the NFL Pro Bowl, indicated that he had been contemplating leaving the game for a week-and-a-half or two weeks prior to his announcement; he had been speaking with team officials about the matter all week. In a news conference Luck indicated that his recurring injuries had "taken my joy of this game away.... After 2016, I played in pain and was unable to practice, I said I wouldn't go through that again."
The team moved forward with former New England Patriots backup Jacoby Brissett, a third-year Colt, as its designated starting quarterback.
WeekDateOpponentResultRecordGame siteNFL.com
recap
1at Buffalo BillsL 16–240–1New Era Field
2Cleveland BrownsL 18–210–2Lucas Oil Stadium
3Chicago BearsL 17–270–3Lucas Oil Stadium
4at Cincinnati BengalsW 13–61–3Paul Brown Stadium

Regular season

Schedule

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1: at Los Angeles Chargers

Week 2: at Tennessee Titans

Week 3: vs. Atlanta Falcons

Week 4: vs. Oakland Raiders

Week 5: at Kansas City Chiefs

Week 7: vs. Houston Texans

Week 8: vs. Denver Broncos

Week 9: at Pittsburgh Steelers

Week 10: vs. Miami Dolphins

Week 11: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

The Colts would defeat the Jacksonville Jaguars for the team's 300th win in the Indianapolis era with a record of 300-267.

Week 12: at Houston Texans

Week 13: vs. Tennessee Titans

Week 14: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Week 15: at New Orleans Saints

Week 16: vs. Carolina Panthers

Week 17: at Jacksonville Jaguars

Standings

Division

Conference