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Stephen Holder, ESPNOct 6, 2024, 06:08 PM ET
- Stephen joined ESPN in 2022, covering the Indianapolis Colts and NFL at large. Stephen finished first place in column writing in the 2015 Indiana Associated Press Media Editors competition, and he is a previous top-10 winner in explanatory journalism in the Associated Press Sports Editors national contest. He has chronicled the NFL since 2005, covering the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2005-2013 and the Colts since 2013. He has previously worked for the Miami Herald, Tampa Bay Times, Indianapolis Star and The Athletic.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Colts right guard Will Fries suffered a serious right tibia injury in Sunday’s loss to the Jaguars and will undergo surgery Sunday night in Jacksonville, coach Shane Steichen said.
Fries was injured with 5:22 left in the third quarter of the 37-34 loss when he, while run blocking for running back Trey Sermon, got caught in between two Jaguars defenders in a pile and saw his leg bend awkwardly.
The team’s medical staff attended to Fries on the field and ultimately placed his leg in an air cast, indicating a possible fracture. Fries was placed on a backboard and carted off the field and into the locker room.
Colts right guard Will Fries was carted off the field in Sunday’s game and will undergo surgery for a serious tibia injury. Courtney Culbreath/Getty Images
“Our prayers are with him and his family,” Steichen said after the game.
A source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that Fries did suffer a fracture.
Fries’ injury compounds the Colts’ other injury issues, including the oblique injury that sidelined starting quarterback Anthony Richardson and the ankle sprain that kept running back Jonathan Taylor out.
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The remaining cast was unable to find a way to win, something that has become the norm in Jacksonville. Indianapolis lost its 10th consecutive road contest to the Jaguars, a streak that now covers 3 head coaches, 8 starting quarterbacks and 2 continents. (The Colts were the road team in a 2016 loss to Jacksonville in London.)
On Sunday, the Colts closed a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit with two late scores, only to give up a game-winning field goal with 17 seconds remaining.
“This is the National Football League,” Steichen said. “This stuff ain’t easy. Our guys battle and fight and scratch and claw and we’ve just got to find ways at the end. This was a tough one today.”
