The Indianapolis Colts know all too well about trying to find a franchise quarterback, having five different quarterbacks start Week 1 the past five seasons with a sixth on the way in 2023. There's a reason why Shane Steichen is in Indianapolis, brought in to help find that next franchise quarterback for the Colts -- the same franchise that had Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck for two decades.
So how does Steichen find that franchise quarterback? Fortunately for him, he groomed two of them in Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts. Spending the last two seasons with Hurts gave Steichen the blueprint for what he's searching for with his next franchise quarterback.
"Part of it is, I think the obsession. Some of these guys – like you have to love it. You've got to be obsessed with it," Steichen said at the NFL Scouting Combine this week. "You have to be first one in, last one to leave. These guys in Philly know – I mean Jalen (Hurts) was in there at freaking 6 o'clock. He was in there until 9:30 (p.m.). That's what it looks like.
"Like you want to play in this league for a long time and be successful, you have to have that mindset every single day that I'm going to give it everything I've got and be the best I can."
Steichen saw the work effort Hurts put into getting better at the position, along with all the time he sacrificed to get there. The results paid off in 2022 as Hurts completed 66.5% of his passes for 4,280 yards with 25 touchdowns to just six interceptions for a 100.8 passer rating in his 18 starts (including playoffs). He also had 903 rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns, reaching 5,183 total yards and 43 total touchdowns to just seven turnovers. The Eagles were 16-2 in Hurts' 18 starts.
Herbert took major strides in Year One under Steichen, setting an NFL record for passing touchdowns as a rookie with 31. He threw for 4,336 yards and had a 98.3 passer rating in his 15 starts. Steichen knows how to develop quarterbacks, but finding the ones who have the desire to be great is the tough part.
Fortunately, the blueprint is there for Steichen and the Colts.
"I think when you're evaluating guys, especially when you're going through the processes, the vetting of guys, you have to find out,' Steichen said. " You have to ask every single person that knows this guy, that's been around this guy, what is he like, what makes him tick, what are his office hours, how does he study tape?
"All those little details and then as coaches you've got to have a detailed plan when you go and meet with these guys whether it's here at the combine or coming for the top-30 visit, of here's the plan and here's how we're going to find these things out."
