Indianapolis, IN
Colts player representative says he's opposed to expanding NFL season to 18 games
Indianapolis Colts center Ryan Kelly made one thing perfectly clear Wednesday: He’s opposed to an 18-game season in any form.
The NFL’s Players Association executive committee member wasted no time explaining his concerns following the second day of this week’s three-day minicamp at Colts headquarters. Kelly’s biggest concern is player safety.
“I think there’s a reason they’re already putting that out there in the media, right? Start talking about it, next thing you know people will think it’s going to happen,” the four-time Pro Bowler said. “I hope not. I think you start looking, 16 was a lot for a lot of guys and 17 is even more, right? It’s a lot too on your body, but this is a business and it’s about making money.”
Murmurs of adding another game to the league’s already long season began in earnest after commissioner Roger Goodell addressed the issue on “The Pat McAfee Show” in April.
Since then, the debate has only ramped up.
On Tuesday, Colts defensive end Kwity Paye made it clear he expected any deal brokered between the league owners and union leaders to include at least an extra game paycheck if an 18th game is added.
Kelly took it a step further, suggesting it may require ownership to give players a 50-50 share of the NFL’s total revenue base or possibly lifetime medical insurance — two things he doesn’t believe are really possible.
Still, he knows what it would mean — more money in the owners’ pockets and likely more money in players’ pockets. He’s just not sure the risk is worth the cost.
“The fans, and rightfully so, shouldn’t know all the injuries we go through, but they don’t know what it takes to play on Sundays,” said Kelly, Indy’s first-round pick in 2016. “I think it’s just too many games.”
The Colts announced Tuesday that safety Daniel Scott suffered his second straight season-ending injury during Indy’s offseason workouts. Scott, a fifth-round draft pick in 2023, was trying to return from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in one of his knees. Last week, coach Shane Steichen said Scott tore an Achilles tendon.
Kelly also noted that there has been discussion about changing the way offseason workouts are conducted in the future. One potential change would be allowing players to start ramping up in-town workouts in early July as they prepare for training camp, rather than going back and forth between their homes and the team complex.
“We throw, we do all these things and then we don’t see each for two months,” Kelly said, referring to the current schedule. “So it’s like, is that best and most effective way to train and to really get the most out of it? I think the counter argument is that you add a month in the beginning of the season, it makes the season feel even longer when the league’s pushing for 18 (games) and we’re already playing 17. So I think there’s going to be some back and forth and I don’t think there’s going to be a perfect solution.”
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Indianapolis, IN
Former Colts player Marlin Jackson continues to inspire through nonprofit
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – On Jan. 21, 2007, Marlin Jackson made a game-winning interception that sent the Indianapolis Colts to the Super Bowl, toppling the New England Patriots and securing a place in football history.
Nearly two decades later, Jackson’s unforgettable play continues to inspire sports fans and Hoosiers.
But his impact doesn’t stop there—today, he’s channeling his success into making a difference off the field, using his platform to inspire and uplift the Indianapolis community through his charitable work.
Jackson founded an organization called Fight for Life. The nonprofit partners with educators to provide space for youth to process their experiences and circumstances so they can experience winning moments.
Jackson dropped by the “All Indiana” studio along with Fight for Life’s Implementation Specialist Taylor Massey to talk about the initiative.
Massey shared that teachers and educators use Fight for Life’s Building Dreams platform to help students build good habits and celebrate their accomplishments.
Data from the platform allows educators to better identify barriers to student success.
The nonprofit’s #winningmoments campaign encourages youth and educators to look for personal winning moments, both on an individual basis and from within the community.
You can participate in the campaign by donating to Fight for Life or by sharing your winning moments using the hashtag #FFLWINNINGMOMEMTS.
Indianapolis, IN
Colts’ Top 3 Needs (and Options) to Maximize Lou Anarumo’s Defense
The Indianapolis Colts have reportedly hired Lou Anarumo to be their next defensive coordinator. The former Cincinnati Bengals signal-caller will bring an innovative and unique style to Indianapolis next season (and hopefully beyond).
The Colts have several good pieces to offer Anarumo, including former Pro Bowl nickel cornerback Kenny Moore II and former All-Pro DeForest Buckner. Grover Stewart should also excel in the same scheme that D.J. Reader once thrived in with the Bengals. Aside from those three staples, the rest of the Colts’ defense could be in limbo going forward.
The Colts need to add some veteran help to raise the floor of this defense, or the team could face the same issues the Bengals faced last season. The Colts must bring in veterans for these three roles this offseason for Anarumo’s defense to be successful in 2025.
Coverage Linebacker
Anarumo’s linebackers are the core of what he wants to do on defense. Back in his peak years with the Bengals, Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt were fantastic coverage players that made an impact in the passing game. The Colts, in contrast, haven’t had a premier coverage linebacker since Bobby Okereke and Shaquille Leonard left town.
The Colts must look to free agency to improve upon this weakness. Zaire Franklin can be an adequate cover guy, and rookie Jaylon Carlies showed some impressive flashes, but the team needs to add to the room with those guys. E.J. Speed is simply not the answer for this scheme alongside those two aforementioned players.
Tyrel Dodson (Miami Dolphins), Cody Barton (Denver Broncos), and/or Ernest Jones (Seattle Seahawks) could be viable options to upgrade the Colts’ current roster. Dodson, in particular, is an intriguing option, as the athletic linebacker finished last season with three interceptions (most among all linebackers in the league).
Centerfield Safety
The other massive need to address this offseason is deep centerfield safety. Anarumo likes to play out of a single-high structure, and a sideline-to-sideline free safety is a must for his system to survive. In his best years with the Bengals, Jessie Bates was the star roamer over the top.
The Colts have a young strong safety coming off of a career-best season in Nick Cross, but they desperately need a legit cover guy next to him. Julian Blackmon had his worst career season in 2024, and he shouldn’t be an option to start again next year. The Colts need outside help either in the draft or in free agency to improve at free safety.
Jevon Holland (Dolphins), Trevon Moehrig (Las Vegas Raiders), and/or Justin Reid (Kansas City Chiefs) are among the options that could make sense in free agency. Holland would be particularly interesting if he hits the market, but Moehrig could be an interesting consolation prize if he doesn’t.
Veteran Help at Cornerback
As it currently stands, the Colts only have two playable outside cornerbacks on the roster (Samuel Womack, Jaylon Jones). JuJu Brents has not shown the ability to stay healthy, and after him, the cupboard is bare on the roster. The Colts must add some veteran competition to the room to alleviate some growing pains to the new system.
On the higher end, the Colts could look into players like D.J. Reed (New York Jets), Charvarius Ward (San Francisco 49ers), and/or Rasul Douglas (Buffalo Bills) to come in and immediately start next season. Reed, in particular, would be an excellent fit alongside Jones on the outside as a starter.
Even on the lower end, the Colts could look at players like Benjamin St. Juste (Washington Commanders), Shaquill Griffin (Minnesota Vikings), and/or Eric Stokes (Green Bay Packers) simply to come in and compete this offseason. These players, at the very least, would be upgrades over the Colts’ current backups on the team.
Need your fill on daily Colts’ content? Head over to the Locked On Colts’ YouTube channel where Jake Arthur and Zach Hicks hit on all the major topics surrounding this team. Hit that subscribe button while you are there!
Become a Locked On Colts insider! Ask your burning questions and get prompt answers from someone who’s around the team every day! Get special access from the locker room, practice field, and press box!
Follow Horseshoe Huddle on Facebook and X, and subscribe on YouTube for multiple Colts live-stream podcasts per week.
Indianapolis, IN
Cold weather danger: Dogs dying from exposure
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Temperatures are in the single digits, and that means it is simply too cold for pets to be outside for extended periods of time.
Choosing to leave them outside could be a deadly choice.
Alyssa Lewis is the co-founder of Peaceful Souls Animal Rescue and Recovery. She said reports of animal deaths are already coming in.
“Dogs are dying. Dogs died last night. They were found today that had frozen,” Lewis said Monday. “They are literally dying on the sides of the road, curled up beside people’s houses.”
Darcie Kurtz is the executive director of FIDO Indy. FIDO stands for Friends of Indianapolis Dogs Outside. Her organization helps educate people who leave their dogs outside before it is too late.
“Offering our help at the front door with things like inside training crates, flea treatment, and any tools we can use to help get these dogs out of the dangerous cold and into the warm house,” Kurtz said Monday. “Even if it’s a basement or a heated garage it’s better than leaving dogs out in these temperatures.”
Lewis said domesticated pets are not built for the cold temperatures like wild animals.
“These are not sled dogs. They live in our houses so they’re not used to these cold temperatures like we are,” Lewis said. “I kinda put it under the rule of thumb if you’re not willing to stay out there with your animal and let them outside then they probably shouldn’t be out there either.”
Kurtz reminds everyone to call for help if you see an animal outside for an extended period but first make sure the dog was outside for longer than 15 to 20 minutes because it could just be let out to do its business.
If you see a dog in need, either a pet or a stray, call the city government’s Indianapolis Animal Care Services.
-
Technology1 week ago
Amazon Prime will shut down its clothing try-on program
-
Technology1 week ago
L’Oréal’s new skincare gadget told me I should try retinol
-
Technology6 days ago
Super Bowl LIX will stream for free on Tubi
-
Business1 week ago
Why TikTok Users Are Downloading ‘Red Note,’ the Chinese App
-
Technology4 days ago
Nintendo omits original Donkey Kong Country Returns team from the remaster’s credits
-
Culture3 days ago
American men can’t win Olympic cross-country skiing medals — or can they?
-
Technology1 week ago
Meta is already working on Community Notes for Threads
-
Politics4 days ago
U.S. Reveals Once-Secret Support for Ukraine’s Drone Industry