An emotional Ryan Kelly reflects on his (likely) final game with the Colts

Center Ryan Kelly has been a mainstay for the Indianapolis Colts throughout his entire career. Selected in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft, he has been known as a great center - dependable, consistent, and selected twice to the Pro Bowl. Now 31, Kelly is older and it's widely considered that his time with the Colts may be coming to an end. He spent much of the 2024 season on injured reserve, and in that time period, he was replaced by Tanor Bortolini, who played well in Kelly's absence.

It's no secret that Kelly wants to stay in Indianapolis. However, he's a free agent this offseason, and the amount of money in his last contract -- $50 million over four years -- will be difficult to justify. While it's not clear whether or not Kelly will continue playing for another team, or simply choose to retire, it does seem likely that Kelly will be not be back in Indianapolis in 2025.

After the Colts' victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars, in their final game of the 2024 season, Kelly met with reporters, who asked him to say how he's feeling following what could very well have been his last game as a Colt. Through tears, Kelly spoke about how he feels with his eight-year NFL career with the Colts potentially coming to an end.

"I'll try," he said, immediately emotional. "Yeah, I mean, staring up and seeing my box full of people, you know... my family, my wife. Been there all the journeys of my career, ups and downs, injuries. The fans, I mean, the amount of fans that were here, who stayed when there was no playoff chances, right? But they've been really supportive of me, our family, this team throughout the years. It's hard, man. You know, I remember the first time I ran on the field against Detroit week one my rookie year, and in the blink of a second, it's gone. So, just real emotional, but I mean, I couldn't be happier. For a big win and to play with these guys, it's been an honor."