Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Indianapolis Colts. Josh Hallett, photo courtesy

MASSEY: The Colts have an opportunity to rebuild this offseason

As the NFL offseason comes upon us, there have been a lot of questions as to how the Indianapolis Colts should go about their offseason. The Colts finished this season with a 4-12-1 record, a massive downfall from when they finished 11-5 just two years ago. It seems the team is on track to bring out the tools to start the full-scale rebuild in the near future, however, there is a chance Indianapolis could return to playoff contention in one offseason. 



Gabbi Fox, DN Illustration
BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Field General: A history of Black quarterbacks

The NFL, founded in 1920, has a history of racism, whether blatant or subtle. Perhaps the most prevalent case has involved Black quarterbacks and the question of whether a Black man was capable of playing the position. Black quarterbacks have faced racism in the form of stereotypes such as the perception that they lack intelligence, dependability, composure, character or charisma and are unable to be “counted on” to lead their team. The reason this year's Super Bowl was such a big deal is that ever since the NFL began, Black quarterbacks have been disrespected and told they needed to stop playing the position they worked so hard for their entire athletic life because they couldn’t succeed. 


Tom Brady (12) of the New England Patriots handles the ball during the second half against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. (Kathryn Riley/Getty Images/TNS)
TOM BRADY RETIRES

A Colts fan's reaction to Tom Brady's retirement

If you were born a Colts fan in the 2000s, the number 12 was a symbol for one person. Every game was important to you, but if this specific number 12 was on Indianapolis’s schedule, you marked it on the calendar. Of course, I am talking about arguably the greatest quarterback of all time: Tom Brady.



Delta High School senior Caleb Elliot poses on the football field Jan. 21 at Delta High School in Muncie, Ind. The senior was a finalist for the Man of The Year Award. The award, given by the Indianapolis Colts youth program, goes to a high school football player who show’s leadership on and off the field. Jacy Bradley, DN
COLTS HIGH SCHOOL MAN OF THE YEAR

Delta's Caleb Elliott a finalist for Colts' High School Man of the Year

Who is Caleb Elliott? Most high schoolers might be asleep at 9 a.m. on a winter Saturday morning. But not Elliott. The senior hops out of bed and gets dressed. He heads to the school he’s been to all week. Elliott, a wide receiver and point guard for the Eagles football and basketball teams, is not going for a practice. Delta runs a program called “The Future Eagles.” It allows elementary kids to play team basketball inside the school’s gym.


Damar Hamlin of the Buffalo Bills gestures towards the crowd during the third quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at Highmark Stadium on Nov. 13, 2022, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images)
DAMAR HAMLIN

OPINION: What happens next for Damar Hamlin’s situation

If you ask anyone that plays football, most of them will tell you that injuries are an accepted consequence of playing the sport. And not just injuries like a rolled ankle. It’s injuries like a torn achilles, torn ACL or even concussions, all serious injuries, that players know are possible, and are willing to risk at the expense of pursuing their dreams. It’s accepted as the nature of the game, and it’s understood amongst the brotherhood of the NFL that these serious injuries could set them back. Some of the worst extremes of these accepted injuries amongst players have reared their ugly heads in Cincinnati, just as they did on Monday Night Football.



The College Football national championship trophy sits in display at The College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, GA Aug. 31, 2017. Alabama has won three national championships since the playoffs started in 2014. Photo Credit: Michael Li, Flickr.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF

What the 12-team College Football Playoff would look like this season

According to NCAA.com, the six conference winners ranked highest by the committee will automatically make the playoff, with six more of the highest-ranked teams added (essentially at-large bids). The first-round games will be played throughout the week ending on Saturday, Dec 21. With the final rankings being released Dec. 4, the question has to be asked and with the CFP semifinals kicking off today, the question has to be asked: What would a 12-team playoff look like for this season based on the final rankings?


Second-year running back Carson Steele hurdles over a player with the football in a game against University of Connecticut Oct. 15 at Scheumann Stadium. Steele's longest run of the game was for 25 yards. Eli Pierson, DN
FOOTBALL

BREAKING: Carson Steele enters the transfer portal

"I want to thank Ball State for taking a chance on me when no one else believed in me," Steele said. "The coaches, players and staff have been more than great to me for the last two years and I'm so thankful for the friendships that I have made and I will cherish them forever."



Junior quarterback John Paddock braces to throw the football at game against Murray State at Scheumann Stadium Sept. 17. Paddock had 3 touchdowns. Emma Matlock, DN
FOOTBALL

John Paddock set to leave Ball State Football

The redshirt junior has one year remaining of NCAA eligibility and started for the Cardinals this season as they went 5-7 and missed out on bowl eligibility. Paddock threw for 2,713 yards, 18 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in his first year as the starting quarterback for Ball State.


The National Football League logo in the turf. The National Football League was founded in 1920. Jonathan Moreau, photo courtesy
NFL PRO BOWL

SCOTT: The NFL's new Pro Bowl format will not be popular

January is when all the magic happens and, amid all the NFL playoff games that have me on the edge of my seat filled with suspense and pandemonium, I can sit back, relax and take in a breather with the NFL Pro Bowl. The All-Star Game of the NFL is an amusing occasion that truly allows me to see my favorite players in the league and enjoy them all coming together to create a super team going up against another super team.


Graduate student safety Jaquan Amos poses on the field at Scheumann Stadium Nov. 9. Jacy Bradley, DN
JAQUAN AMOS' JOURNEY

The third destination: Jaquan Amos' journey to Ball State football

For the average person, five years may seem like the blink of an eye. To graduate student safety Jaquan Amos, it has molded him into the man he is today. Ball State is Amos’ third destination in the last five years for his college career. Before making his way to Muncie, he spent a year in Ames, Iowa, with the Iowa State Cyclones, shortly after playing three years in his hometown of Philadelphia with the Villanova Wildcats.


National Football League (NFL) Comissioner Roger Goodell prepares to speak at the 2009 NFL Draft April 25, 2009. Goodell. Goodell and the NFL announced officiating crews should place a larger emphasis on taunting in the 2021 season. Wikimedia Commons
NFL OWNERSHIP

NEWMAN: The massive stain on every NFL jersey

For some reason, the NFL seems to disagree with me. Every NFL player on every NFL team walks out of their locker room and onto the field each game day with a stain on their jersey. Sometimes it’s super hard to see. Sometimes it’s pretty darn easy to see. Other times the stain is so obvious that it’s hard to look away, but football fans generally just miss it or ignore it completely. I can’t miss that stain. That stain is the NFL ownership group. 






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