Colts GM has faith in backup QB: 'Brissett is a winning football player'

The Indianapolis Colts will turn to Jacoby Brissett to lead them at quarterback for the 2019 season.

Following the surprise retirement of Andrew Luck, the team will have to move forward with the next man on the depth chart, and the Colts' brass have faith Brissett can get the job done.

"We've got a good football team. This is a good football team. We're young, good on both fronts, some good young skill players and a good young quarterback in Jacoby Brissett," general manager Chris Ballard said after Luck's announcement Saturday night, per Jake Arthur of Colts.com.

"We're not gonna ask Jacoby Brissett to be Andrew Luck. Andrew Luck was a unique, unique player, but Jacoby Brissett is a winning football player in this league. Jacoby Brissett is a rare, rare leader ... That locker room loves Jacoby Brissett. They love him."

Brissett joined the Colts via trade from the New England Patriots in September 2017, filling in as the team's starter while Luck continued to rehab a shoulder injury. He performed respectably, throwing for 3,098 yards and 13 touchdowns against seven interceptions, leading to rumors he was coveted elsewhere as a starting QB.

The team went 4-12 that year. Yet, upon Luck's return and an influx of talent the following season, the Colts finished 10-6 in 2018. Brissett now gets to take over a team that had division-winning expectations.

"I think you saw it last year as we went through the season, this is a special guy, man," Ballard said of Brissett. "I'm excited to watch him play."

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