INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis Colts head coach Frank Reich announced today that tight end Jack Doyle will miss the rest of the season after suffering a kidney injury during Sunday's victory over the Miami Dolphins at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Doyle, who was taken to an Indianapolis-area hospital following the game to undergo a procedure, remains hospitalized, Reich told reporters on Monday, but the tight end's prognosis is good and he is expected to be released "soon."
Doyle is expected to be placed on injured reserve, ending his season. The team is yet to formally announce any related moves.
Doyle suffered the injury late in the third quarter of Sunday's 27-24 victory over the Dolphins. Reich said Doyle, running a stick route at the time, "took a pretty big hit," and after being evaluated by trainers tried to return to the field for two or three more plays, but couldn't finish out the rest of the game from there.
One of just two active tight ends available for the Colts on the day — joining Eric Ebron — Doyle played 38 snaps on offense and six snaps on special teams in all, catching all four passes thrown his way for 16 yards, including a one-yard touchdown reception late in the second quarter that gave Indy a 14-7 lead.
Reich said the hope is at least one, if not more, of the team's three injured tight ends can make it back to the field soon. Mo Alie-Cox (calf), Ryan Hewitt (ankle) and Erik Swoope (knee) each were inactive on Sunday.
"We're hopeful and optimistic that some of those guys — one, or two or all three of those guys — will be ready," Reich said. "We'll have to take it day-to-day on them, but they had been making good progress; obviously Mo's had been the most recent. So we're going to be optimistic and take it day-by-day and evaluate. If we have to make any move, it's just too early to determine that."
Doyle, who missed five games earlier in the season with a hip injury, finishes his sixth NFL season having caught 26 passes for 245 yards and two touchdowns in six games played, all starts.
In 84 career games played, with 42 starts, all in Indianapolis, Doyle — who was selected to his first-career Pro Bowl last season — has collected 200 receptions for 1,728 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Reich said the Colts are going to miss Doyle's versatility as a pass catcher and as a blocker.
"He really is a really, really good football player," Reich said. " I mean, he can give you everything you want at the point of attack, and then in the passing game you better not take him lightly. You better not take him lightly because, as he has proven, he'll catch 80 balls on you and catch a bunch of touchdowns. And Andrew (Luck) trusts him — he's going to be where he's supposed to be. He's gonna catch the ball and make big plays. That's what he does. And then he can line up and block for you. So he's a great player.
"Certainly this injury was unfortunate for Jack," Reich continued. "But he'll be fine."
