Colts Coach Injured in Preseason Game

The most significant injury from the Indianapolis Colts’ first preseason match might have involved a coach instead of a player. Special teams coordinator Brian Mason was ejected during the final moments of a 13-13 scrimmage against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on Thursday night.

Brian Mason, who is 39, had a tough time evading players from both teams as they rushed toward the sideline. Unfortunately, he seemed to have taken a hit low and was seen writhing in pain on the ground.

“He got rolled up against the sideline on the last play,” Colts head coach Shane Steichen said after the game. “So, we’ll see. He’s getting his knee checked right now.”

In his fourth season as the Colts’ special teams coordinator, Mason has had notable success. Last season, his unit excelled, ranking second in the NFL for kickoff return average (28.8) and also had the lowest opponent punt return average (6.3).

Despite using three different kickers—Spencer Schrader (13-of-14), Blake Grupp (11-of-11), and Michael Badgley (10-of-11)—the Colts managed to achieve the second-best field goal percentage in the league at 94.4.

Before joining the Colts, Mason’s coaching career began in college football, starting as a student assistant at Denison University from 2007-2008. He worked at various schools as a graduate assistant before moving on to serve as Cincinnati’s director of recruiting and special teams assistant in 2017.

In 2018, he was elevated to special teams coordinator at Cincinnati, a position he kept until 2021 when he transitioned to Notre Dame for a season. Mason became part of the Colts in 2022, and fans are hoping for a swift return to the sidelines following his injury.