Colts GM: Brissett 'hasn't flinched' since becoming starter
Andrew Luck's sudden retirement stunned the NFL world, but the Indianapolis Colts didn't panic, in large part due to the presence of Jacoby Brissett.
Brissett was previously considered one of the league's top backups, and the 26-year-old has shown through four games this season that he can become far more than that.
Colts general manager Chris Ballard praised Brissett on Tuesday for his consistency off the field despite Luck's surprising exit.
"Look: Jacoby, he's the same guy he was since the first day we traded for him," Ballard told team writer Andrew Walker. "Somebody asked me a question today in my office about Jacoby and his leadership, and I said, 'Look, what makes him really special is he's authentic, he's real, and he's the same guy every day - and he's been that way since the day he walked in this building.' He prepares - he's always prepared like the starter.
"And I remember saying this during Andrew's press conference when he retired that, look, Jacoby won't flinch. And he hasn't flinched. He's played really good football - he's played winning football for us each and every week."
Brissett, who inked a one-year extension shortly after Luck's decision, has led the Colts to a 2-2 start and is currently tied for the league lead in touchdown passes (10) with Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson.
The young signal-caller is also the only quarterback to throw multiple touchdown passes in each game so far this season.
While Brissett has kept the offense rolling without Luck, Indy's defense has severely regressed. The unit is tied for 24th in points allowed per game (25.5) and has been carved up by Matt Ryan and Derek Carr in back-to-back weeks.
"Look: you are what your record is, and we're 2-2, we're a .500 football team. It's been an interesting tale of the season," Ballard said. "But, look, we're through one-quarter of the season, we're 2-2, and there's a lot of football left and a lot of chance for us to get better and keep improving."
Brissett is facing his stiffest test as a starter in Week 5, with the Colts set to travel to Arrowhead Stadium for a prime-time matchup Sunday with Mahomes' high-flying Kansas City Chiefs.