Colts Jim Irsay Talks Longhorns Sam Ehlinger; "The Next Montana or Brady?"
As much as any rookie sixth-round NFL pick can, Sam Ehlinger has the world at his fingertips, wowing the Indianapolis Colts coaching staff and fans with his stellar play thus far in training camp.
Ehlinger has been so good, in fact, that Colts owner Jim Irsay made a lofty comparison to two of the game's all-time greats for the former Texas Longhorns star -- one of which is coming fresh off of his seventh Super Bowl win.
“With Sam, we’re always hoping and you think, ‘Where’s the next Montana or Brady? Could that be him?," Irsay said. "You just don’t know.”
Lofty comparisons indeed.
Montana, a late third-round with the 82nd pick by the San Fransico 49ers in 1979, was long considered the best quarterback to ever play the game.
That is, however, until Brady was picked with the 199th pick in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots.
Brady would go on to win six Super bowls with New England, winning his seventh with Tampa Bay last season.
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Ehlinger, however, is still waiting for a chance to start his first NFL Preseason game, and is still learning the NFL ropes.
“I’m just trying to always have a plan at the line of scrimmage,” Ehlinger told Yahoo Sports. “I’ve just been focusing so much on anticipating and getting my timing square. That’s what all the film study and prep is for.”
Ehlinger will see an NFL field for the first time on Sunday in the Colts preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers.
As of now, he will be the second-string quarterback behind Jacob Eason, as the pair attempts to win the primary backup job to the currently injury Carson Wentz.
As of now, Eason appears to have the slight edge, although Ehlinger is hot on his trail.
Ehlinger has been so good in Colts camp in fact, that he has drawn first-team reps in practice in recent days.
And on Thursday, he stole the show in 11-on-11 drills, completing 13 of 16 passes with 3 touchdowns to just one touchdown for Eason.
“That’s me, that’s my thing right there,” Ehlinger said. “I like 11-on-11 football, you know? … Seven-on-seven has its place, I get it. But I like when we line up, put the ball down and 11 guys go to work. That’s football, to me at least.”
In the end, however, Ehlinger has remained measured in his approach, and in typical humble Ehlinger fashion, has been steadfast in his support for Eason as well.
“We’re just trying to make each other better,” Ehlinger said. “We want to make it a tough call [for the coaches].”
The Colts and Panthers will kick off on Sunday at 12pm in Indianapolis.
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