Pricey Mr. Irsay,

I hope this letter finds you effectively. We’ve got by no means met, however like so many others, I’ve adopted the Colts for many years. Watching from afar, seeing the best way you have got tried to do proper for the town of Indianapolis, for Colts followers, and the best way your daughters have stepped up and been concerned is wonderful.

As a person who has a daughter, my solely baby, I can’t fairly put into phrases how neat it’s to see Carlie on the sidelines sporting a headset throughout video games. It’s so good to see. I’ve been in a position to level her out to my daughter, and my daughter sees a robust, assured lady in a giant blue skirt standing amongst dozens of large male athletes, and to have that type of position mannequin on the highest degree of my favourite workforce, makes me so proud.

However what’s extra, is that Carlie appears to be doing every little thing she will to study each side of how an NFL group is run. The Irsay household has a transparent and apparent plan to information the Indianapolis Colts for generations to return, and I can’t adequately thanks for caring sufficient to safeguard the long-term way forward for the workforce.

In 2020, I met Invoice Polian on the Senior Bowl, and I used to be in a position to thank him for each considered one of my favourite sports activities reminiscences. Possibly sooner or later I’ll get to thanks in individual too, but when that day by no means comes, simply know that I admire your dedication to making sure the Colts are winners. I used to be a 12-year-old boy, a chubby little Hoosier when this occurred:

I keep in mind being upset. Not about Peyton Manning, I used to be a child; I used to be detached about him. I used to be upset as a result of my first Colts quarterback, Jim Harbaugh, was being changed. I keep in mind telling my dad that I’d be a fan of Jim Harbaugh without end, and I wished to look at Ravens video games. He chuckled and stated, “We’ll see about that.”

It appears that evidently the outdated man knew one thing I couldn’t but perceive as a result of later that 12 months, I used to be in entrance of the TV, cheering fairly arduous for that Manning man. The subsequent 13 years of my life can be what formed me into the person I’ve grow to be, and regardless of a lot the world round me modified, each Sunday within the fall, I might at all times rely in your workforce to compete, and much as a rule, I might rely on them to win. So, sincerely, thanks. A corporation can solely go so far as its proprietor will let it go and you’ve got by no means been one to restrict it.

2022 has been a uncommon season for many Colts followers youthful than 40. The expectations all of us had, fell brief. All of us have opinions about what’s occurred this season, and I haven’t been proud of the alternatives which were made, however such as you at all times say, nobody is larger than the horseshoe. What’s completed is finished. All any of us can do now’s look to the longer term. And I’m writing you in the present day to speak in regards to the instant way forward for the Indianapolis Colts.

By no means in my life have I rooted for the Colts to lose. Not in 2011. Not when Peyton got here again to city, not in 2017, by no means. Should you return within the Stampede Blue archives, yow will discover me pushing again towards the concept the Colts ought to lose video games in 2017 to get the next draft choose. I argued that profitable was good; you play to win the game- Herm Edwards reminded us of that. I argued that by profitable video games it confirmed that perhaps the workforce wasn’t to date off from the place they wanted to be and that the distinction between selecting third total and tenth total wouldn’t matter that a lot if you happen to had a workforce that was able to profitable.

Nevertheless it’s not 2017. The circumstances have modified. Not do the Colts have a franchise quarterback, and it has grow to be clear that the workforce can’t proceed to compete with out one. The draft remains to be eons away; we don’t have any concept what is going to occur within the months main as much as April 2023. We don’t even know what is going to occur for the remainder of this season, however I’m keen to take a position in case you are. The groups who maintain the highest ten picks as of proper now are the next:

Most of these groups’ schedules shake out to imply that if the Colts lose out, you must personal the fifth, sixth or seventh choose within the draft. If the Colts handle to win a sport, we’re doubtlessly speaking about dropping out of the highest ten altogether.

I perceive that you could transfer across the draft and place yourselves to have perhaps a shot at a man you want, however Mr. Irsay, Colts followers deserve higher than a shot to perhaps get a man. Dropping is painful. However the ache of shedding the following 4 video games will pale in comparison with the ache of lacking out on a great group of top-end passers. What’s extra, even when “the man” isn’t on this draft, choosing later limits how effectively you may set your self as much as make a transfer within the 2024 draft. And if the plan isn’t to discover a long-term reply at quarterback as quickly as attainable, effectively, Mr. Irsay, with all due respect, what are we even doing?

I’ve watched from afar as you have got put a plan in place to make sure the long-term success of the Irsay household proudly owning and working the Indianapolis Colts. That transition, when it comes, hopefully, a few years from now, will go easily since you’ve completed what’s essential to make it so.

It’s time to do what’s mandatory to present your workforce an opportunity to compete constantly for the following technology of little Hoosiers. Someplace in Indianapolis, in Anderson, in Plainfield, Frankfort, Kokomo, Noblesville, Muncie, Rushville, Shelbyville, Franklin, Columbus, Bloomington, North Vernon, Peru, Lafayette, Vincennes, Bedford, Crawfordsville, in all of those cities and cities are little Hoosiers satisfied that they’ll be followers of Matt Ryan without end. My nephews in Santa Claus and the remainder of these youngsters should have what my technology of followers had, Mr. Irsay. And the one approach you may you’ll want to give these youngsters an opportunity at that’s if the Indianapolis Colts lose the following 4 video games. There’ll by no means be one other Peyton Manning, however 20 years from now, I hope there’s a person in his mid-30s typing an open letter to you, thanking you for taking an opportunity on a quarterback within the 2023 NFL Draft.

One final thing, I feel you already know what Dylan knew,

Allow us to pause in life’s pleasures and rely its many tears
Whereas all of us sup sorrow with the poor
There’s a tune that may linger without end in our ears
Oh, arduous occasions, come once more no extra

Mr. Irsay, the time to lose and pause in life’s pleasures is now in order that, hopefully, these arduous occasions come once more no extra.

Sincerely yours,

Chris Shepherd.