INDIANAPOLIS – From Holy Spirit Catholic grade school on the eastside of Indianapolis to an NFL career approaching a decade in length, let alone with his hometown team, over on the westside of town.
The Jack Doyle story is a hell of a read, especially for those in the Indianapolis area.
With the book still to be completely written, the 31-year-old Doyle is entering his 9th season in the NFL.
He’s amassed such a career after being an undrafted free agent by the Titans, cut by Tennessee after his first preseason in 2013, then claimed by the Colts.
Fast forward 9 years and Doyle is now the second longest tenured player on the roster (T.Y. Hilton has been in Indianapolis for 10 years).
“I’m still having a ton of fun, probably as much fun as I’ve had playing football and truly trying to take it one day at a time and enjoy it,” Doyle says. “Time does fly and you just take it one year at a time.
“Sometimes some of the younger guys will ask, ‘What year is this for you?’ It’s weird to say nine. If you would’ve asked Jack Doyle back in 2013 how many years he was going to play in the NFL, I don’t know if I would’ve said nine. But it’s just fun to be here every day and be with the guys playing a kids’ game.”
Contractually, Doyle is signed through the 2022 season. He’s the only Colts player to receive two multi-year extensions from Chris Ballard.
When asked about how much longer Doyle wants to keep playing, he says it’s something he ponders after each season, but his love for the game is still alive and has him wanting to play as long as he can.
For the Colts, Doyle’s reliability and dependability ranks up there with anyone on the roster.
Doyle has played in at least 14 games in 8 of his 9 seasons (not missing a single game in 4 of those years).
In 2020, Doyle took a really scaled back role in the receiving department catching just 23 balls in 15 games.
But in the playoff loss to Buffalo, Doyle was a go-to target for Philip Rivers. He caught 7 balls on 9 targets for 70 yards and a touchdown.
It was another reminder of what Doyle means to the Colts.
Looking ahead, seeing Mo Alie-Cox take a huge jump this season and/or Kylen Granson establishing himself as a receiving threat in the NFL would mean more to the future at tight end in Indianapolis.
However, when you are talking about where the most trust lies among the tight ends of the Colts, that’s still Doyle.
It’s been quite a run for the Indy native.
“You can’t ask for much better,” No. 84 says.
