The Indianapolis Colts have made what many believe will be the first of several trades before the Nov. 10 NFL trade deadline, sending guard Quenton Nelson to the Seattle Seahawks reportedly for a 2027 third-round draft pick and a 2028 fifth-rounder.
Pat McAfee, the ESPN host and former Colts punter, reacted by personally thanking Nelson.
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“Quenton Nelson, I would like to say to you, thank you for your service to the Indianapolis Colts, buddy,” McAfee said. “Since Day 1, you were dominant for us. You’ve been a Pro Bowler literally since the day you stepped foot into our city. I am so sorry that you had 45 different quarterbacks behind you, and a seemingly different system, terminology and voice every single year.”
While the Colts didn’t actually use 45 quarterbacks during Nelson’s 8 1/2 seasons here, they couldn’t find offensive stability after the abrupt retirement of Andrew Luck in 2019. Nonetheless, Nelson earned consistent Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors.
“What Quenton Nelson did for the Colts was phenomenal,” McAfee said. “Quiet guy. I think at times he was forced into a position to be a vocal leader because we really didn’t have anybody else in the locker room. He stepped up and did that for us. He’s dominant. He’s physical. He’ll fit in with the Seattle Seahawks culture. … I wish we had 22 Quenton Nelsons starting for the Indianapolis Colts over the last eight years that he’s been here. But, instead, he was kind of stuck in a situation where it was just a revolving door behind him.”
