The Indianapolis Colts and San Francisco 49ers had a lot in common in 2025. Unfortunately, though, the connection between the teams was mostly injuries. Indy suffered a bunch, and San Francisco suffered even more.
No team in the NFL missed more games from Week 1 starters than the 49ers. The Colts weren't even close. One thing that general manager Chris Ballard said correctly in his season-end press conference was that Indianapolis needs to get higher-quality depth. The 49ers have done just fine while missing multiple key players. Indy didn't.
Still, Colts fans watching San Francisco play the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card round of the postseason likely cringed when they saw elite tight end George Kittle go down with an injury. Indianapolis fans might have even guessed what the problem was before it was announced.
Indianapolis Colts fans likely cringed after seeing 49ers tight end George Kittle get injured
After all, fans went through the same situation in Week 14 with quarterback Daniel Jones. In that game, Jones tore his Achilles tendon, and he will likely be out until the start of next season, if not a few games into it.
Against the Eagles, Kittle tore his Achilles tendon, and he will obviously be out the rest of the playoffs. Since he tore his Achilles tendon even later in the season than Jones did, the 2026 season is a question mark for the tight end. He could miss most, if not all, of the year.
Most Indianapolis Colts fans probably didn't have a strong rooting interest in the Eagles versus 49ers game, of course. The game didn't involve Indy. One could wonder if feelings changed after Kittle went down with his injury. If Indianapolis fans have learned anything this season, it is likely to empathize with fans of other teams who have seen their favorite players go down after being hurt.
Next season, the hope is that the Colts will stay healthier, of course. Should Daniel Jones be re-signed and then be able to play most of next year, and if the cornerback group can not collectively miss so much time, Indy could (and probably should) make the playoffs.
Injuries are always going to happen in football, and being able to overcome them is key to a successful team. Maybe the Colts can learn from what the 49ers have done this season and do a better job of winning games in 2026 after key players have been lost. That's the hope.