Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie and cornerback Tony Brown were surprise inactives for last week’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
We now know why. The Colts announced on Tuesday that both veterans have been suspended for the remainder of the season for “conduct detrimental to the team.”
It’s not yet known what transpired to lead to the two being inactive and ultimately suspended for a Colts team with clear playoff aspirations. With McKenzie and Brown sidelined, Indianapolis blew out the Pittsburgh Steelers and moved into a three-way tie atop the AFC South with an 8-6 record.
These suspensions are the clearest indications yet that first-year head coach Shane Steichen is looking to put his imprint on the team.
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The on-field impact heading into Week 16 against the Atlanta Falcons could be real here. At the very least, from a special teams and depth perspective.
Isaiah McKenzie has caught a mere 11 passes for 82 yards on the season. Though, he’s the Colts leading punt and kick returner. Rookie Josh Downs will likely take over those roles for him.
As for Brown, he opened the season with an in interception of Trevor Lawrence in Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The veteran from Alabama has not seen action on defense since Week 8, playing solely on special teams since then.