Report: Sam Ehlinger turned down surprising team in QB turmoil to remain Broncos emergency QB

by: Daniel Hager 24 hours ago DanielHagerOn3

The Indianapolis Colts’ quarterback situation continues to be one of the most interesting storylines in the NFL as the regular season winds down.

Just days after Comeback Player of the Year candidate Daniel Jones tore his achilles in Indianapolis’ 36-19 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Colts reportedly attempted to poach former quarterback Sam Ehlinger off of the Denver Broncos’ practice squad.

Per Jordan Schultz however, Ehlinger turned down the opportunity to re-join the Colts to remain with Denver. This led to Indianapolis signing 44-year-old quarterback Philip Rivers , who would be the oldest player in the NFL if elevated to the active roster, to its practice squad.

Sources: The #Colts had interest in signing QB Sam Ehlinger off the #Broncos practice squad after Daniel Jones’ Achilles injury, as @ParkerJGabriel also reported.

Ehlinger, who’s had multiple opportunities to leave this year, decided he wanted to stay in Denver and continue his… pic.twitter.com/8EgIBs0OwP

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) December 11, 2025

“The Colts reached out about the idea of adding Sam Ehlinger prior to Philip Rivers ’ workout on Monday night, but in all likelihood, the plan was to add Ehlinger along with Rivers,” Schultz continued. “In the end, it’s just Rivers who joins Indy.”

Ehlinger was previously with Indianapolis from 2021-2024 after being selected by the Colts with the No. 218 overall pick in the 6th Round of the 2021 NFL Draft. During his time with the organization, Ehlinger started in three games and played in eight games overall. He boasts 573 career passing yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions.

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