Indianapolis, IN — Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard has always had a knack for drafting offensive line talent. From one of the easiest choices of all time in selecting guard Quenton Nelson at the top of the draft to finding gems on Day 3 (Rounds 4-7), such as current starting center Tanor Bortolini and recently departed guard Will Fries, there’s been no shortage of valuable finds via the draft.
OL Coach Tony Sparano Jr. is the Colts’ saving grace
Posted October 29, 2025
Indy’s offensive line coach has been the team’s unsung hero amidst their dominant rebound.
Throughout all of his impressive draft selections, though, resides one man who has singlehandedly righted the ship: Tony Sparano Jr.
“You’re locked in. You’re playing for each other. There’s so much juice out there, and it’s coming from you guys. We’ve gotta keep this focus. I’m really, really proud of you guys for the way we’ve started this.”
This quote is from Sparano Jr. as a first-time offensive line coach in the NFL back in training camp of the 2023-24 season. Son of former NFL head coach Tony Sparano, Sparano Jr. spent the first twelve seasons of his professional coaching career as an assistant before he was given the opportunity to lead an OL room for the first time under a fresh head coach in Shane Steichen.
Ever since he set foot in Indianapolis, Tony Sparano Jr. has proven that he is the right man for the job.
His first task as an offensive line coach would require no easy remedy as he, Shane Steichen, and company attempted to navigate the murky waters otherwise known as a rookie quarterback. Not just any rookie signal caller, no. Sparano Jr. was tasked with keeping arguably the rawest quarterback prospect in history upright. Despite this, Indy’s offensive line has not only managed to play its part in each of the three seasons that he’s been here, but they’ve thrived amidst an upward trajectory that not even Jeff Stoutland’s Philadelphia Eagles front can match.
In the season prior to his arrival, the Colts’ vaunted offensive line that dominated from 2019-2021 and additionally helped aid an OPOY-caliber season from running back Jonathan Taylor the year before simply fell apart. Though they were in limbo at multiple positions on the line, this was largely the same dominant group from years past, and they regressed into allowing the second-most sacks given up in 2022, with 60 sacks.
After a changing of the guard entirely, Sparano Jr. was brought into the right the ship, and he has been — from day one. While longtime Colts OL Quenton Nelson, Ryan Kelly, and Braden Smith bounced back under Sparano Jr., his calling card is his ability to turn the inexperienced and/or youngins into strong spot-starters and legitimate players entirely.
During his short time in Indianapolis (2.5 seasons), Tony Sparano Jr. has helped Bernhard Raimann go from a raw prospect into a legitimate NFL left tackle, got a 7th-round pick paid in Will Fries, and has strung together one of the most impressive succession plans in recent memory as first-time starters across the interior, center Tanor Bortolini and tackle-turned-guard Matt Goncalves, have blossomed into potential stars (especially Bortolini).
Including the two seasons prior to his arrival as a reference point, here’s how Indy’s offensive line has fared in the five seasons before and after adding Tony Sparano Jr. to the mix:
2021: 32 Sacks Allowed (8th), 149.4 rush yards per game (2nd), 197.7 pass yards per game (26th), 26.5 points per game (9th)
2022: 60 Sacks Allowed (31st), 109.8 rush ypg (23rd), 201.9 pass ypg (23rd), 17.0 PPG (T-31st)
2023: 41 Sacks Allowed (14th), 121.1 rush ypg (10th), 215.6 pass ypg (20th), 23.3 PPG (T-10th)
2024: 32 Sacks Allowed (T-6th), 137.1 rush ypg (8th), 197.7 pass ypg (25th), 22.2 PPG (17th)
2025: 9 Sacks Allowed (2nd), 134.3 rush ypg (6th), 250.9 pass ypg (6th), 33.8 PPG (1st)
It’s difficult to pinpoint how this Colts team has seemingly evolved overnight. On one hand, the easy answer is that the steady hand of Daniel Jones was exactly what this team needed. Chris Ballard’s roster construction always pointed at a game manager tying the bow, but Shane Steichen and Co.‘s collective genius was so strong it, as a result, had people believing that an Anthony Richardson-led team could at least produce.
The Colts’ utter dominance over the rest of the NFL as we hit the season’s midway point makes it additionally difficult, but the position group that is inherently overlooked and subsequently undervalued — the offensive line — has proven to be the sport’s perfect example of how a top-tier unit will take you as far as you’ll let them. Tony Sparano Jr. is the straw that stirs the drink that is Indy’s historic offense, and it won’t be long before we’re putting him up with the likes of legendary offensive line coaches, so long as he keeps this pace and track record up.
Tank Bigsby’s Breakout Performance Could Force Major Changes for Eagles
Tank Bigsby broke out in a big way in the Philadelphia Eagles 38-20 Week 8 win over the New York Giants, finishing with nine carries for 104 yards (that’s a ridiculous 11.6 yards per carry).
With Saquon Barkley also going off for a 65-yard TD, finishing with 150 rushing yards and a receiving score, Bigsby’s surge very likely solidified him in the No. 2 role behind Barkley.
Bigsby arrived via trade in early September, but he hadn’t played much until this past Sunday. Entering Week 8, he had just one carry as an Eagle, but by night’s end he had his first 100-yard game with Philadelphia, which included a key conversion on 2nd-and-26.
“It’s clear Bigsby has passed A.J. Dillon and even Will Shipley on the depth chart and for good reason,”Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia wrote on October 26. “While Barkley is obviously still going to be the Eagles’ featured running back, Bigsby is a good candidate to spell him with some fresh legs the rest of the season.”
More on Why Tank Bigsby Will Likely Replace Will Shipley as RB2
GettyRB Tank Bigsby likely solidified his role as the Philadelphia Eagles’ RB2 ahead of Will Shipley.
The win over the Giants very likely crystallized the RB pecking order. Barkley is still the clear RB1 — Sunday was his first 100-yard game of 2025 and a reminder of why the offense runs through him — but Bigsby gave the Eagles exactly what they’ve lacked behind Saquon.
When you’ve struggled all year to run the ball the way Philly has, and then the ground game breaks out with 8.4 yards per carry — you’re likely going to roll with the group who led the breakout.
“I’m not surprised,” left tackle Jordan Mailata said about Bigsby’s big game, via Zangaro. “I just waited for him to have a breakout game. Just happened to be today. That boy’s hungry. Talk about hungry dogs. We always talk about hungry dogs run faster. Tank is a hungry dog.”
So, where does this leave Shipley?
Shipley missed time earlier this season with an oblique injury, and his role has mostly been situational: returns, perimeter packages, some third-down work. He’s still a nice downhill complement to Barkley, but Bigsby is likely the best fit for RB2 right now.
Barring injury, expect Tank to be the first backup behind Saquon when Philly returns from its bye.
Will A.J. Dillion Be Cut After Bigsby’s Breakout?
With Bigsby showing what he can do, Dillon’s status is now in serious question. Dillon was a healthy scratch Week 7, with the Eagles dressing Saquon, Shipley and Bigsby instead.
Dillon, who’s more a grinder with size, could remain game-plan dependent unless injuries or matchups dictate otherwise. He could stick around — but he could also find himself getting cut or traded if he no longer has a role.
After Week 8, the most probable rotation looks like Barkley as the bell cow, Bigsby as his backup and Shipley as the change-of-pace/third-down option.
For his part, Bigsby is just going with the flow and trying to make the most of his touches.
“Whenever you get an opportunity, whenever your number’s called, you just got to be ready in this league,” Bigsby said. “Just trying to be the best back I can be for my guys. Anything it is, just going out there and being the best person you can be.”
