Former Longhorn Sam Ehlinger limped off the field with a knee injury during the Indianapolis Colts preseason finale against the Detroit Lions on Friday.
The rookie quarterback relieved Jacob Eason in the second quarter for the two-minute drill and was expected to get an extended look for the remainder of the game.
Unfortunately, Ehlinger attempted just three passes (3-for-3 for 63 yards) before suffering the injury. “It didn’t look good. Kind of got a pretty up-close look at it, but, obviously, you wait for the doctor’s final say on it,” Colts head coach Frank Reich told the media after the game.
Considering the Colts organization was bracing for the worst, they had to be relieved with the news that surfaced on Saturday. According to Inside Texas, Ehlinger suffered an ACL sprain that does not require surgery. He’s expected to be sidelined for 4-5 weeks.
Source: Indianapolis Colts QB Sam Ehlinger out 4-5 weeks w/ ACL strain. No surgery needed for the former Texas QB and Westlake alum. #HookEm @On3sports @InsideTexas pic.twitter.com/oG3Raw6edt
— Justin Wells (@justinwells2424) August 28, 2021
Ehlinger has had a strong preseason for Indianapolis, often receiving first-team reps in practice alongside second-year quarterback Jacob Eason while starter Carson Wentz was sidelined with an ankle injury. Although Ehlinger’s injury is not season-ending, it will present an interesting roster decision for the Colts.
NFL teams are required to reduce their roster to 53 players by 4 p.m. on Aug. 31.