Colts' Quenton Nelson Shows Dominance with Latest High-Level Accolade

Indianapolis Colts guard Quenton Nelson keeps on rolling with yet another illustrious honor to add to his trophy case.

Nov 30, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts guard Quenton Nelson (56) warms up before a game against the Houston Texans at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

The Indianapolis Colts had plenty of excellent offensive contributors for the 2025 season despite things falling apart at the end of the campaign.

Running back Jonathan Taylor, wide receivers Michael Pittman Jr., and Alec Pierce, and tight end Tyler Warren stand out.

However, on the offensive line, it's all about one name: Quenton Nelson. Now, Nelson has been named a Second-Team All-Pro.

BIG Q🤝 pic.twitter.com/c8IQu5N8c8

— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) January 10, 2026

Nelson has been nothing short of extraordinary since the Colts drafted him with the sixth-overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft.

Nelson's accomplishments through his eight seasons include three First-Team All-Pros, three Second-Team All-Pros, and eight Pro Bowls in as many seasons as he's played in the NFL.

Nelson was arguably the most integral part in opening lanes for Taylor to dominate in the interior and protecting quarterback Daniel Jones to allow him to operate cleanly under center.

Indianapolis Colts guard Quenton Nelson (56) lead blocks for Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, against the Arizona Cardinals at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Nelson earning another Second-Team All-Pro should surprise nobody. Nelson is arguably the best guard in football on any given game day and shows zero signs of slowing down.

One area to look at throughout his career is his impressive Pro Football Focus metrics since joining the league. Below are all of Nelson's prominent grades from 2018 and on.

• 2018: 79.7 overall, 81.9 pass-blocking, 77.7 run-blocking
• 2019: 91.2 overall, 82.8 pass-blocking, 90.1 run-blocking
• 2020: 86.2 overall, 80.4 pass-blocking, 85.0 run-blocking
• 2021: 69.1 overall, 62.0 pass-blocking, 70.4 run-blocking
• 2022: 68.4 overall, 74.1 pass-blocking, 64.6 run-blocking
• 2023: 70.8 overall, 80.3 pass-blocking, 63.4 run-blocking
• 2024: 81.3 overall, 79.7 pass-blocking, 81.7 run-blocking
• 2025: 84.5 overall, 73.2 pass-blocking, 84.3 run-blocking

Quenton Nelson + Jonathan Taylor is currently feeding families. pic.twitter.com/ZLd7zdOarQ

— Coach Dan Casey (@CoachDanCasey) October 26, 2025

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Nelson's 2025 was more of the same, putting up excellent numbers and allowing just a single sack and 15 quarterback pressures through 637 passing snaps (led Colts).

While Nelson isn't a free agent this season, he does have only one more season remaining on his four-year, $80 million deal.

Currently, Nelson ranks fifth overall in average annual earnings for guards with $20 million. Below are the top names he ranks behind, providing insight on how much he could cost to re-sign after the 2026 season.

• Tyler Smith (Dallas Cowboys): $24 million
• Trey Smith (Kansas City Chiefs): $23.5 million
• Landon Dickerson (Philadelphia Eagles): $21 million
• Chris Lindstrom (Atlanta Falcons): $20.5 million

There's a good chance Nelson will earn more than the number Tyler Smith has posted, especially considering NFL players are getting paid more as the seasons pass.

Indianapolis Colts guard Quenton Nelson (56) and Indianapolis Colts running back Ameer Abdullah (26) celebrate after Abdullah scores a touchdown Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025, during a game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Colts defeated the Raiders 40-6. | Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Anything can happen, especially when it comes to managing an NFL team's salary cap, but the Colts will likely do whatever is needed to keep Nelson with the squad until he retires.

Nelson is just 29 years old and will be 30 by the time the 2026 season starts, but he's already put up a Hall of Fame resume.

When it comes to offensive line efficiency, dominance, and high-level consistency, Nelson is the gold standard.

The former Notre Dame Fighting Irish enforcer is a bulldozer, regardless of the state of Indianapolis' offense, and his Second-Team All-Pro award is well-warranted.

Nelson, along with the rest of Indy, will look to put together a great offseason and get back to how the offense looked in the first half of the 2025 season when the new campaign rolls around.