The 2024 season for the Indianapolis Colts was underwhelming, to say the least; with an 8-9 record, it was yet another mediocre year in which the Colts fell short of the playoffs, and saw their struggles at quarterback - which have been ongoing since Andrew Luck left - continue.
Of course, it wasn't all bad news. There were some players on the Indianapolis roster that wowed the entire league, and they've been getting league-wide accolades since the regular season ended. Jonathan Taylor was named one of the top 10 running backs in the entire NFL, while wide receiver Josh Downs was described as the "unsung hero" for the Colts. Alec Pierce, also a wide receiver, has received heavy praise for his performance in 2024, and offensive lineman Bernhard Raimann was called a "secret superstar."
Yet for Tyler Sullivan, none of these players were the Indianapolis MVP. He named the best player on every team for CBS Sports, and who he chose for the Colts may be a bit surprising: Zaire Franklin.
"Franklin has been a productive linebacker for the Colts over the last few years but took it to new heights in 2024. For the first time in his seven-year career, Franklin was named as an All-Pro (Second Team) and to the Pro Bowl. This comes after a league-leading 173 tackles to go with 3.5 sacks (career high), six pass breakups and five forced fumbles. "
There's no doubting that Franklin had a good year, including being named to the Pro Bowl, but he has also been a controversial figure in 2024. In addition to having way too many missed tackles, he had a notorious and public feud with Colts alum Pat McAfee, and many believe it's Franklin that DeForest Buckner was referring to when he discussed ego problems on the team.
Given the issues behind Franklin's stellar play, could he really be described as the Colts' MVP? That's questionable.