The Indianapolis Colts are in the worst quarterback situation of any contender in football, and the Broncos had a hand in it. After Daniel Jones went down with an Achilles injury that has ended his 2025 season, the Colts were left with just Riley Leonard as the only healthy quarterback on their roster. With that being said, the Colts needed to add a quarterback who is familiar with the system Shane Steichen runs.
Before the Colts decided to bring back 44-year-old Philip Rivers, who is already a grandfather, the Colts reportedly reached out and had legitimate discussions with current Broncos' practice squad quarterback Sam Ehlinger. The news was first reported by Broncos beat reporter Parker Gabriel, the beat man for the Denver Post. He reports that the Colts and Ehlinger discussed a potential return for a few days, but the former Texas starter opted to remain the number three man in Denver.
Let's say this again: an NFL quarterback turned down the chance to be a starter for likely the rest of the season, and potentially into the playoffs, to remain with the Broncos and Sean Payton. This speaks volumes for the state of both teams, but specifically where the Broncos organization stands.
Sam Ehlinger picking QB3 in Denver over QB1 in Indianapolis speaks volumes to the state of the Broncos
We don't need to sit here and pretend that Sam Ehlinger remaining with the Broncos does a lot for their 2025 chances, but it says a lot about the health of this organization. After being the laughing stock of the entire NFL just three years ago, the Broncos are clearly a respected organization once again. This also shows how tight-knit the Broncos quarterback room appears to be once again this year.
The dream of millions is to be an NFL starting quarterback, but turning it down to remain the third in Denver shows a clear sign as to how the league views the Broncos. With this decision, you can make the clear assumption that the Broncos are viewed as a high-end destination for quarterbacks. All the credit goes to Coach Payton and his offensive staff.
The Broncos are not only 11-2, but are clearly a destination across the NFL. Continuity is one of the more underrated aspects of sports organizations, and the Broncos are clearly prioritizing that ideal. With Ehlinger staying in Denver over heading back to the Colts, the Broncos get a nod from an interesting piece and remain a destination franchise.