Jack Doyle is calling it quits. After nine seasons and 407 catches, he announced his retirement today.
Doyle, who turns 32 in May, released a statement through the team saying that he doesn’t think he can physically hold up any longer.
His most productive season came in 2017, when he caught 80 passes for 690 yards and 4 TDs. He caught 7 passes for 70 yards and a touchdown when the Colts lost a close playoff game at Buffalo in January of 2021. Impressive production for a tight end who played his college ball at Western Kentucky and wasn’t even drafted. He signed with the Titans as a rookie free agent in 2013, but they released him.
Doyle grew up in Indianapolis, watching Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne and others torch opposing defenses. “Getting the chance to play nine seasons for the team I have always and will always cheer for has been a dream come up,” he said. “I now go back to being the fan I have always been.”
With Doyle gone, the Colts will now need to get more production out of other players at the position. Mo Alie-Cox is headed for free agency; he’ll presumably be re-signed. And they’ll likely expanded the role of Kylen Granson, who caught 11 of the 15 passes thrown his way as a rookie. Granson caught 78 passes and 14 TDs in his two seasons at SMU.
Since Frank Reich showed up, the Colts have tended to mix in various tight ends. Doyle, Alie-Cox and Trey Burton all have meaningful roles two years ago. Last year, the team relied primarily on Doyle and Cox. My early guess is that the Colts probably won’t have a top-15 tight end in 2022.
Including the playoffs, the Colts have played 34 games in the last two years. Doyle had nine of their top 20 tight end performances in those games. Granson (tagged with black dots) hasn’t been used much yet, but they’ll be increasing his role.
COLTS TIGHT ENDS (last 2 years) | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | Wk | Opp | Result | Rec | Yds | TD | PPR |
2020 | Burton | 6 | CIN | W 31-27 | 4 | 58 | 2 | 21.8 |
2021 | Doyle | 12 | TAM | L 31-38 | 6 | 81 | 1 | 20.1 |
2020 | Doyle | 18 | at BUF | L 24-27 | 7 | 70 | 1 | 20.0 |
2021 | Alie-Cox | 4 | at MIA | W 27-17 | 3 | 42 | 2 | 19.2 |
2020 | Alie-Cox | 2 | MIN | W 28-11 | 5 | 111 | 0 | 16.1 |
2020 | Alie-Cox | 3 | NYJ | W 36-7 | 3 | 50 | 1 | 14.0 |
2020 | Burton | 12 | TEN | L 26-45 | 3 | 42 | 1 | 13.2 |
2020 | Doyle | 6 | CIN | W 31-27 | 3 | 29 | 1 | 11.9 |
2021 | Alie-Cox | 7 | at SFO | W 30-18 | 3 | 25 | 1 | 11.5 |
2021 | Doyle | 2 | LAR | L 24-27 | 5 | 64 | 0 | 11.4 |
2020 | Burton | 11 | GNB | W 34-31 | 2 | 25 | 1 | 10.5 |
2020 | Burton | 8 | at DET | W 41-21 | 3 | 9 | 1 | 9.9 |
2021 | Alie-Cox | 6 | HOU | W 31-3 | 1 | 28 | 1 | 9.8 |
2020 | Doyle | 8 | at DET | W 41-21 | 2 | 18 | 1 | 9.8 |
2021 | Doyle | 8 | TEN | L 31-34 | 2 | 12 | 1 | 9.2 |
2020 | Doyle | 16 | at PIT | L 24-28 | 4 | 50 | 0 | 9.0 |
2020 | Alie-Cox | 4 | at CHI | W 19-11 | 1 | 13 | 1 | 8.3 |
2020 | Burton | 5 | at CLE | L 23-32 | 5 | 33 | 0 | 8.3 |
2021 | Alie-Cox | 5 | at BAL | L 25-31 | 3 | 50 | 0 | 8.0 |
2020 | Doyle | 1 | at JAX | L 20-27 | 3 | 49 | 0 | 7.9 |
2020 | Doyle | 11 | GNB | W 34-31 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 7.6 |
2020 | Doyle | 14 | at LVR | W 44-27 | 3 | 44 | 0 | 7.4 |
2020 | Alie-Cox | 9 | BAL | L 10-24 | 3 | 43 | 0 | 7.3 |
2020 | Alie-Cox | 18 | at BUF | L 24-27 | 4 | 32 | 0 | 7.2 |
2021 | Doyle | 9 | NYJ | W 45-30 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7.1 |
2020 | Alie-Cox | 8 | at DET | W 41-21 | 3 | 37 | 0 | 6.7 |
2020 | Burton | 18 | at BUF | L 24-27 | 3 | 34 | 0 | 6.4 |
2021 | Alie-Cox | 16 | at ARI | W 22-16 | 2 | 42 | 0 | 6.2 |
2021 | Doyle | 10 | JAX | W 23-17 | 3 | 31 | 0 | 6.1 |
2021 | Doyle | 11 | at BUF | W 41-15 | 3 | 30 | 0 | 6.0 |
2021 | Alie-Cox | 17 | LVR | L 20-23 | 3 | 28 | 0 | 5.8 |
2020 | Burton | 10 | at TEN | W 34-17 | 3 | 24 | 0 | 5.4 |
2020 | Alie-Cox | 13 | at HOU | W 26-20 | 3 | 23 | 0 | 5.3 |
2021 | Doyle | 1 | SEA | L 16-28 | 3 | 21 | 0 | 5.1 |
2020 | Alie-Cox | 10 | at TEN | W 34-17 | 3 | 19 | 0 | 4.9 |
2020 | Burton | 16 | at PIT | L 24-28 | 3 | 18 | 0 | 4.8 |
2020 | Doyle | 17 | JAX | W 28-14 | 3 | 17 | 0 | 4.7 |
2021 | Alie-Cox | 18 | at JAX | L 11-26 | 2 | 27 | 0 | 4.7 |
2021 | • Granson | 12 | TAM | L 31-38 | 2 | 22 | 0 | 4.2 |
2020 | Alie-Cox | 1 | at JAX | L 20-27 | 2 | 20 | 0 | 4.0 |
2021 | • Granson | 5 | at BAL | L 25-31 | 2 | 19 | 0 | 3.9 |
2020 | Alie-Cox | 12 | TEN | L 26-45 | 2 | 19 | 0 | 3.9 |
2021 | Alie-Cox | 9 | NYJ | W 45-30 | 1 | 28 | 0 | 3.8 |
2021 | • Granson | 9 | NYJ | W 45-30 | 1 | 27 | 0 | 3.7 |
2020 | Burton | 4 | at CHI | W 19-11 | 2 | 16 | 0 | 3.6 |
2020 | Alie-Cox | 11 | GNB | W 34-31 | 2 | 16 | 0 | 3.6 |
2021 | Alie-Cox | 3 | at TEN | L 16-25 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 3.4 |
2021 | Doyle | 4 | at MIA | W 27-17 | 1 | 24 | 0 | 3.4 |
2020 | Doyle | 15 | HOU | W 27-20 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 3.4 |
2020 | Alie-Cox | 15 | HOU | W 27-20 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 3.4 |
2020 | Alie-Cox | 16 | at PIT | L 24-28 | 1 | 20 | 0 | 3.0 |
2021 | Alie-Cox | 2 | LAR | L 24-27 | 1 | 18 | 0 | 2.8 |
2021 | • Granson | 10 | JAX | W 23-17 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 2.5 |
2021 | Doyle | 13 | at HOU | W 31-0 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 2.3 |
2020 | Doyle | 4 | at CHI | W 19-11 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 2.2 |
2020 | Doyle | 13 | at HOU | W 26-20 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 2.2 |
2020 | Burton | 13 | at HOU | W 26-20 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 2.1 |
2021 | Doyle | 18 | at JAX | L 11-26 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 2.1 |
2021 | Doyle | 3 | at TEN | L 16-25 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 2.0 |
2020 | Alie-Cox | 14 | at LVR | W 44-27 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 1.9 |
2021 | • Granson | 11 | at BUF | W 41-15 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 1.8 |
2021 | Alie-Cox | 12 | TAM | L 31-38 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 1.8 |
2020 | Burton | 15 | HOU | W 27-20 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 1.8 |
2020 | Burton | 9 | BAL | L 10-24 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 1.6 |
2021 | Alie-Cox | 10 | JAX | W 23-17 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 1.6 |
2021 | • Granson | 13 | at HOU | W 31-0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 1.6 |
2021 | • Granson | 16 | at ARI | W 22-16 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 1.6 |
2021 | Doyle | 5 | at BAL | L 25-31 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1.4 |
2021 | • Granson | 4 | at MIA | W 27-17 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1.3 |
2021 | • Granson | 8 | TEN | L 31-34 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 |
2021 | Alie-Cox | 13 | at HOU | W 31-0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 |
2021 | Doyle | 15 | NWE | W 27-17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 |
2021 | Alie-Cox | 1 | SEA | L 16-28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .0 |
2021 | • Granson | 1 | SEA | L 16-28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .0 |
2021 | • Granson | 2 | LAR | L 24-27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .0 |
2020 | Doyle | 3 | NYJ | W 36-7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .0 |
2021 | • Granson | 3 | at TEN | L 16-25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .0 |
2020 | Doyle | 5 | at CLE | L 23-32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .0 |
2020 | Alie-Cox | 5 | at CLE | L 23-32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .0 |
2021 | Doyle | 6 | HOU | W 31-3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .0 |
2021 | • Granson | 6 | HOU | W 31-3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .0 |
2021 | Doyle | 7 | at SFO | W 30-18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .0 |
2021 | • Granson | 7 | at SFO | W 30-18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .0 |
2021 | Alie-Cox | 8 | TEN | L 31-34 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .0 |
2020 | Doyle | 9 | BAL | L 10-24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .0 |
2021 | Alie-Cox | 11 | at BUF | W 41-15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .0 |
2020 | Doyle | 12 | TEN | L 26-45 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .0 |
2020 | Burton | 14 | at LVR | W 44-27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .0 |
2021 | Alie-Cox | 15 | NWE | W 27-17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .0 |
2021 | • Granson | 15 | NWE | W 27-17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .0 |
2021 | Doyle | 16 | at ARI | W 22-16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .0 |
2021 | Doyle | 17 | LVR | L 20-23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .0 |
2020 | Burton | 17 | JAX | W 28-14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .0 |
2021 | • Granson | 17 | LVR | L 20-23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .0 |
2021 | • Granson | 18 | at JAX | L 11-26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .0 |
—Ian Allan