On Monday, the Indianapolis Colts announced that wide receiver Austin Collie will be place on the injured reserve list, ending his season. Collie, who has been battling to stay on the field since training camp, suffered a torn patella tendon during Sunday’s home loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Most would think that if Collie was going to have a season-ending injury, that it would be do to the multiple concussions he has dealt with during his career. In fact, when Collie went down on Sunday, he was holding his head. For a bit, it seemed as though the wide out had suffered another blow to the head. Closer inspection showed the leg injury. Neither option is a good one, but the sight of Collie on the ground with his head in his hands was bone-chilling and all-too familiar.
Collie is a free agent after this season. The hard truth is that, with his history of injury, Collie’s future in Indianapolis may not look to bright. In fact, it may be hard for a player with a history of head injuries who is coming off a knee injury to find work anywhere in the NFL. Collie is a top-notch talent when healthy, but he hasn’t been healthy very much lately.