The Indianapolis Colts quarterback room has fluctuated for years, and there was never a time of more flux than when the Colts faced a last-minute announcement.
Former Colts star quarterback Andrew Luck abruptly announced his retirement in August 2019 before the season, and the Colts needed a plan at quarterback. That quarterback room included P.J. Walker, who officially retired from the NFL on Thursday, per reporter Ari Meirov.
Walker, a third-year quarterback at the time of Luck’s retirement, didn’t see an increased opportunity in the Colts quarterback room in the aftermath. The Colts waived him at the end of August 2019 and re-signed him to the practice squad, which lasted only two days before another release.
That all came just 7-9 days after Luck’s retirement announcement. Walker had been on and off the Colts practice squad since 2017, when he signed as an undrafted free agent.
He had a chance to establish himself more with one less quarterback in Indianapolis, but that didn’t work out. The Colts had Jacoby Brissett as the starter and Brian Hoyer and Chad Kelly as the backups at the time.
It didn’t stop Walker from building a career in pro football as he found an opportunity with the Houston Roughnecks of the XFL. He returned to the NFL amid stints with the Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns and Seattle Seahawks.
Walker then finished his pro career with the CFL’s Calgary Stampeders for the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
P.J. Walker Set NFL Record
While Walker didn’t pan out with the Colts, he soon displayed his arm talent on the field with the Carolina Panthers in 2020.
That went to a whole other level in 2022 when he completed a 62-yard touchdown pass to former Panthers wide receiver D.J. Moore. Walker’s throw went a record 67.6 air yards, the longest since Next Gen Stats came around in 2016.
It won the respect of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. The Hail Mary touchdown pass came in an October 2022 game against the Atlanta Falcons.
“Has to be the best throw of the year and not even close,” Mahomes exclaimed via X.
Walker made nine career starts between the Panthers and Cleveland Browns from 2020 to 2023. He tallied 2,135 yards passing for six touchdowns versus 16 interceptions, and he had a 54.6% completion rate.
The Elizabeth, New Jersey, native played four seasons at Temple from 2013 and 2016 before his Colts stint. Walker signed his biggest contract of his career with the Chicago Bears in 2023, where he rejoined Moore.
Despite the two year, $4.15 million deal in March 2023, Chicago released him in August 2023. That led to the Browns opportunity followed by a short time with the Seahawks in 2024.
Colts Taking Years to Recover From Andrew Luck Retirement
Once thought to be the longtime franchise quarterback after Peyton Manning, Luck’s retirement left the Colts in tumult.
Brissett led the Colts to a 4-12 record in 2019, but the Colts recovered to make the playoffs with Philip Rivers in 2020. After Rivers’ first retirement, the Colts turned to Carson Wentz in 2017 and missed the playoffs.
Matt Ryan, Gardner Minshew, Anthony Richardson and Joe Flacco couldn’t get the Colts to the playoffs either between 2022 and 2024. Things looked better with Daniel Jones last season before his season-ending injury.
Time will tell if the Colts found a long-term answer in Jones.
Retiring QB’s Colts Stint Ended at Tumultuous Time