2021 Indianapolis Colts season

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2021 Indianapolis Colts season recap

The Colts’ 2021 season was their 69th in the NFL, their 38th in Indianapolis, and their 14th playing at Lucas Oil Stadium. Head coach Frank Reich was in his fourth year, with Chris Ballard as general manager, and Jim Irsay as owner.

They finished 9–8, placing 2nd in the AFC South, and did not qualify for the playoffs. Despite having 7 Pro Bowlers and 5 AP All-Pros, Indianapolis could not improve on the previous year’s 11–5 record. The late-season stumble began with a Week 12 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and they were eliminated in the final week after an upset loss to the 2–14 Jacksonville Jaguars, paired with other results going against them.

Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors

- Pro Bowlers (7): Jonathan Taylor (RB), Quenton Nelson (G), Ryan Kelly (C), DeForest Buckner (DT), Shaquille Leonard (MLB), Kenny Moore II (CB), Luke Rhodes (LS)
- All-Pros (5 total): Jonathan Taylor (1st team RB), Shaquille Leonard (1st team MLB), Luke Rhodes (1st team LS), Quenton Nelson (2nd team G), Ashton Dulin (2nd team Special Teams)
- All-Pros also included 2nd-team selections for Nelson and Kelly, among others

Season highlights

- The Colts started 0–3 early in the year, a tough opening stretch.
- They had notable wins, including a road victory over the San Francisco 49ers and a dramatic performance against the Buffalo Bills, where Jonathan Taylor scored five touchdowns in a 41–15 win.
- The team also notched a Christmas Day win over the Arizona Cardinals, overcoming injuries and positive tests to move to 9–6 and stay in playoff contention.
- A Week 18 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars ended their hopes for the postseason, with the Steelers’ win over the Ravens that day sealing Indianapolis’s fate.

Key players

- Jonathan Taylor had a breakout season and was the offensive star.
- Shaquille Leonard led the defense with playmaking impact.
- The Colts’ depth was shown by multiple players earning Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors, including Nelson, Rhodes, and Buckner.

Bottom line

Despite strong individual performances and several exciting wins, the 2021 Colts fell short of a playoff berth, finishing 9–8 and ending the season with disappointment in the final week.