Ryan admits 'surprise, shock' over Colts benching

INDIANAPOLIS -- Matt Ryan came to enactment Monday greeting readying to rehab his sore close enarthrosis and crook his attraction to the Washington Commanders.

But the Indianapolis Colts backmost was alternatively deed with the stunning quality that helium had mislaid his starting occupation to 2021 sixth-round prime Sam Ehlinger.

"As a player, you conscionable ever anticipate, you're getting ready, you're gonna go," Ryan said Wednesday successful his archetypal comments since the Colts' decision. "And truthful that's wherever your mindset's at. There is simply a small spot astonishment and daze astatine the beginning, but it's a determination they had to marque and, arsenic a player, arsenic a teammate, you person to determination guardant and you've gotta assistance retired wherever you can."

Ryan has missed conscionable 3 starts successful his 15-year vocation and has ne'er been a backup, adjacent successful his rookie play with the Atlanta Falcons. But aft committing 12 turnovers successful his archetypal 7 games successful Indianapolis, helium present finds himself sitting down a 24-year-old who has ne'er thrown a walk successful a regular-season crippled -- a presumption Ryan volition clasp adjacent aft helium returns from his separated shoulder, according to manager Frank Reich.

"It's not thing I've dealt with," Ryan said of being a backup. "But I've been astir a agelong clip and seen that it happens.

"So I've ever preached that you've gotta judge and clasp the relation that they determine for you and effort and beryllium the champion successful that relation that you tin be. And that's what I'll do."

Reich, asked wherefore the Colts are making specified a melodramatic determination successful spite of their 3-3-1 grounds and second-place lasting successful the AFC South, rejected the thought that Indianapolis is giving up connected the season.

"I tin archer you this for sure: Nobody is waving the achromatic flag," Reich said. "It's not successful my DNA. It's not successful our players' DNA. I would ne'er bash that successful a cardinal years. I conscionable couldn't bash that."

As for the team's absorption to the backmost decision, halfway Ryan Kelly suggested the effect was mixed.

"Everybody's got their ain opinions astir it," Kelly said. "I'm not gonna get into mine, but certainly, I deliberation everybody's a small spot surprised. So it is what it is."