INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Safety Julian Blackmon is staying in Indy.
After testing the waters of a tough free agency market, Blackmon decided to return to the Indianapolis Colts with a one-year deal reportedly worth up to $7.7 million.
Blackmon visited the Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers looking for a multiyear deal, but ultimately decided that staying with the team that drafted him back in 2020 was the best option.
“This was home, and this is the place where it started and it this is the place I want to finish if I can,” Blackmon said Tuesday after signing his new contract. “Everybody knows how free agency went this year for safeties. We just wanted to be patient with the whole process and we were able to come up with something that everybody was happy with.”
Blackmon finished the 2023 season with a career-best four interceptions. He was one of the few experienced players in the Colts young secondary, and his impact was especially noticed when he wasn’t on the field.
Blackmon’s season ended early after he injured his shoulder during the Christmas Eve game in Atlanta. For the next two weeks, the Colts struggled in the already-streaky secondary — especially in the season-finale loss to the Texans, which cost the Colts a spot in the playoffs.
Visiting other teams was all a part of the plan for Blackmon, who was entering free agency for the first time since being drafted in the third round out of Utah. He wanted to see what the other teams were about. When he found out, it just brought him right back home to Indiana.
“You see how other teams compete, what makes them winning cultures, and, honestly, that’s what made me want to come back, too, at the same time,” Blackmon said. “You see all these other teams that talk about what they have and how they’re in-house. For me, it was like I feel like we have the same thing in Indy. My heart was always like, ‘OK, well, this has been a great process,’ but, at the same time, I want to continue to build with something that I’ve helped start.’”
Blackmon is one of now seven players who Colts general manager Chris Ballard has offered new contracts or extensions this offseason. Blackmon joined receiver Michael Pittman Jr, Zaire Franklin, Kenny Moore II, Grover Stewart, Rigoberto Sanchez and Tyquan Lewis, all returning to the Horseshoe in 2024.
Blackmon was especially excited for close friends Pittman and Moore when he heard about their new deals.
“Man, it was awesome,” Blackmon said. “We all have actually been in contact throughout this whole process, especially Kenny and I. We’re FaceTiming like every day talking about, ‘Man, what it would be like for us to come back?’ Even Pitt, he’s like, ‘Hey, when are you signing back? When are you coming back?’ It was just one those things where all of us were able to just stay together and trust that we all wanted to be back and the fact that we made it happen – it couldn’t be more of a blessing. We’re just all excited to be back.”
As far as his shoulder injury recovery, Blackmon said that he’s “feeling really good” as he sat his sights on the Colts first offseason workouts coming in May.
It’s time to qualify for the 110th Indianapolis 500 (weather permitting). Time trials are scheduled today, May 16, and Sunday, 17, on the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval.
Thunderstorms are forecast for today, and if qualifying is washed out, Sunday’s sessions will be long and even more tense.
With 33 entrants guaranteeing a spot for everyone in the May 24 race, there is no bumping this year, and race officials have made changes reflecting that.
We will have weather and qualifying updates all day, so remember to refresh.
8:30 a.m.: Showers are falling at IMS, washing out the 1-hour full-field practice session.
(All times ET; all IndyCar sessions are on IndyCar Live, IndyCar Radio, Sirius XM Channel 218 and the Fox One app)
FoxSports.com, Fox Sports app
Watch Indy 500 action on Fubo
Indy 500 qualifying tickets start at $30
Rookie Robert Shwartzman of Prema Racing stunned the field by winning the Fast Six. He lost his brakes entering his pit stall during the race, running into some crew members (none was seriously hurt) and finishing 26th. Shwartzman is not entered this year.
Rick Mears won six (1979, ’82, ’86, ’88, ’89, ’91). Scott Dixon (2008, ’15, ’17, ’21, ’22) will try to match Mears.
Arie Luyendyk had a 4-lap run of 236.986 mph, with his best lap at 237.498, in 1996. However, because of the rules at the time, his blistering second-day (of four) run did not earn him the pole position.
Zion Brown is IndyStar’s motorsports reporter. Follow him at @z10nbr0wn. Get IndyStar’s motor sports coverage sent directly to your inbox with our Motor Sports newsletter. Subscribe to the YouTube channel IndyStar TV: IndyCar for a behind-the-scenes look at IndyCar and expert analysis.
Tonight, on Beyond the Bricks with Jake Query and Mike Thomsen, they look back at the 1972 Indy 500, featuring record speeds and Jim Malloy.
In the second segment, they continue to look back at the 1972 Indy 500 with the Mystery Eagle and the misfortunes of Wally Dallenbach.
Then to wrap up another edition of the show, they continue to look back at the 1972 Indy 500 with Mark Donohue taking the win.
After mechanical setbacks in prior races, Ericsson seeks clean run into Indy 500
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All eyes will be on Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend for two days of qualifying that will determine the pole winner and set the full lineup for the 110th running of the Indy 500.
This year provides even more intrigue with changes to the qualifying format and because multiple drivers will take the first step toward potential history-making endeavors.
The events begin May 15 with Fast Friday practice sessions as drivers will run full speeds at the Brickyard to gear up for qualifying sessions the next two days. Then the pressure really kicks in Saturday, May 16 and Sunday, May 17 as drivers lock in their spots on the starting grid for “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” on Sunday, May 24.
Among the drivers who will be behind the wheels of Indy cars this weekend are two who are seeking to make history.
Four-time Indianapolis 500 champion Helio Castroneves is back, trying to become the first driver to win the iconic race five times. The Brazilian driver, who celebrated his 51st birthday on May 10, won the Indy 500 back-to-back in 2001 and 2002, again in 2009 and then in 2021 to tie A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears for most wins all time.
Meanwhile, Katherine Legge has a different, but equally epic, historic opportunity. The 45-year-old British driver announced earlier this week that she will attempt “The Double” this year: racing in the Indy 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. Only five drivers have ever attempted “The Double” – John Andretti, Robby Gordon, Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch and Kyle Larson – and Legge would be the first woman.
Here is everything you need to know about qualifying for the 2026 Indianapolis 500, the weekend schedule and the full entry list:
Practice, qualifying and the 2026 Indianapolis 500 can be streamed on the Fox Sports website (by signing in with your TV or satellite provider), Fox One (free seven day trial) and the Fox Sports app. Viewers can also stream events on Fubo.
All times Eastern
Friday, May 15
Saturday, May 16
Determines starting positions 16-33
Sunday, May 17
Determines starting positions 1-15
Monday, May 18
Friday, May 22
Sunday, May 24
Stream Indy 500 race, qualifying and practice on Fubo
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