Indianapolis Colts

Forget the Lambos, the Rolls-Royces and the Audis ... Colts' star Kenny Moore pulled up to training camp on a whole 'nother level Tuesday -- in an IndyCar!!!

... and, his chauffer was none other than pro driver Patricio "Pato" O'Ward!!!

It all went down as Moore was reporting to the start of Indianapolis practices in epic fashion ... with the arrival being so grand, it had onlookers giggling with joy.

In footage from the scene, you can see two motorcycle cops helped O'Ward and Moore arrive at the Grand Park Sports Campus in style.

The car -- a two-seater -- was driven by the 2018 Indy Lights champ ... and in the back, Moore was tucked away in racing gear.

The Indy star, who signed a $33 MILLION contract extension in 2019, got kinda stuck trying to get out of the ride ... but he eventually made it out -- and it was all cool as hell!!

Of course, if this all looks familiar ... it's 'cause it is -- remember, back in 2014, Reggie Wayne had a similar training camp entrance with racecar driver Ed Carpenter.

Fantasy football nerds, listen up ... Mo Alie-Cox is predicting a BIG season with Carson Wentz now on board -- telling TMZ Sports his 2021 season is going to dwarf his 2020 campaign!

Which, of course, is saying a lot ... considering Alie-Cox had a pretty good breakout season with Philip Rivers last year!!!

"I think I'll have a better season," Alie-Cox told us outside of JLT gym in L.A. this week. "Just another year under my belt, more experience, more confidence and just probably more opportunities."

Alie-Cox caught 31 passes for 394 yards and scored 2 TDs last year ... and there were some games where he looked flat-out dominant.

And, with Wentz known to love his tight ends -- Alie-Cox is clearly seeing dollar signs in his future.

As for his relationship with Wentz so far, the tight end says he's loving his new teammate ... telling us Wentz's "arm is great."

"Strong-arm," the 27-year-old added. "He's accurate. It's gonna be fun playing with him."

Colts star tight end Mo Alie-Cox says the blueprint for Tim Tebow's success at his new position is simple ... telling TMZ Sports all the new Jaguar has to do is just be open to learning.

"The tight end position, you have to learn how to block," Alie-Cox said.

"You have to catch passes. The protection -- the little things like that. So, it's a lot that goes into it. It's a lot of mental."

Alie-Cox, though, says he's pretty sure Tim's going to be just fine ... despite never playing the position and despite being out of the NFL for nearly a decade.

"He hasn't played the position but I mean, he's a hard worker," Alie-Cox said. "You can't put anything past Tim Tebow."

Alie-Cox added, "I think he's got it."

Reports out of Jaguars practices so far seem to indicate Tim's doing well in the transition ... but when we asked Alie-Cox if there was any shot Tebow ends the season with more catches than him, Mo said no way.

Super Bowl hero Adam Vinatieri -- one of the greatest placekickers EVER -- is finally announcing his retirement ... 25 years after making his NFL debut!

The 48-year-old appeared on the "Pat McAfee Show" on Wednesday when he was asked about his football career, considering he hasn't been on a roster since the 2019 season.

"Should we just make it real?" Adam said ... "Should we just say 'Hey, we're done?' We're riding off into the sunset. You want it to be live on your show that Vinny's officially done? Is that what you want?"

Pat -- who played with Adam on the Indianapolis Colts -- replied, "I don't want that but if it's gonna happen, happy it's happening here! I would like that to be known. Don't feel obligated."

Vinny responded, "Put it this way ... today's Wednesday. By Friday, if paperwork goes in, you heard it here first."

Translation -- it's over.

Adam will go down as an NFL legend -- finishing as the league's all-time leading scorer with 2,673 points!

There's more ... he's a 4-time Super Bowl champion and also made more field goals than anyone in NFL history with 599!

But, he'll be most famously remembered for having ICE IN HIS VEINS IN CLUTCH MOMENTS!

Remember, when he hit the game-winning field goal for the New England Patriots with seconds remaining in Super Bowl XXXVI?!

Vinny sealed the victory for the Pats -- which began the famous Tom Brady, Bill Belichick dynasty.

He also hit the game-winner in Super Bowl XXXVIII.

There's a lot more ... we don't have all day.

Adam left the Pats after the 2005 season and went on to play in Indy from 2006 to 2019.

Next stop, Canton!

Congrats!!!

The Indianapolis Colts are mourning those killed in the FedEx shooting -- which occurred just 20 minutes from the team facility ... calling it "another senseless tragedy."

A gunman stormed a FedEx Ground packaging facility late Thursday night -- killing at least 8 people and wounding many others before taking his own life, cops say.

Investigators are still working on the case -- trying to determine a motive.

Meanwhile, the Indianapolis Colts have issued a statement saying, "Our hearts are broken by another senseless tragedy."

"We at the Colts are deeply shocked and saddened to learn of the horrific act that took place last night in our city."

"We join the entire Indianapolis community in mourning those who lost their lives and praying for all those who are or will be impacted over the weeks and months to come."

"We send our thought to our friends at FedEx who are hurting so much this morning, and we pray for their health and healing."

"The victims and survivors are our friends and neighbors, and one can only imagine the nightmare their families are living through this morning."

Colts fans should probably just abandon all hope of an Andrew Luck comeback -- 'cause the QB is telling T.Y. Hilton he's having a BLAST in retirement.

Hilton -- who just signed a 1-year, $10 million deal with the Colts -- is still pretty close with his old quarterback ... despite the fact Luck hung up his cleats in 2019 at the age of 29.

There have been rumblings that Luck could change his mind and rejoin the Colts in the near future -- but Hilton told the media on Thursday the chances of that happening are slim to none.

"He's just enjoying his vacation," Hilton said with a big ol' smile ... "I probably have to stop calling him for a bit. He might make me want to retire!"

A reporter asked if he thinks Luck's "vacation" will be a permanent one -- to which Hilton responded, "Oh, permanent! He's having the time of his life! He's kinda making me jealous. So we’ll see."

In other words, Luck is wasting away in Margaritaville ... enjoying his family and friends without musclebound killers trying to take his head off every day.

Oh, and also worth mentioning Luck made more than $109 MILLION in contract money during his NFL career ... not including endorsements!

So, it's not like he'll be hurting for cash.

Michael Pittman is a man of his word -- the Colts wideout did NOT give up his #11 jersey number ... forcing Carson Wentz to now take the #2 in Indianapolis.

A Colts official tells TMZ Sports the team's newest quarterback will officially change numbers this season ... after he rocked the one-one for his entire 5-year Eagles career.

Unclear why the choice of #2 -- but perhaps it has something to do with him being the No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft ... or maybe 1+1=2?

As for how Wentz ended up with the new digits ... the QB had called Pittman about prying the #11 jersey away from the receiver after the Colts made the blockbuster trade for him in February.

But, Pittman told us shortly after that call he didn't want any part of giving up his uni number ... which Michael says Wentz was ultimately cool with.

"I told him I was locked in," Pittman said, "and he was like, 'That’s cool, bro, because I’m probably gonna switch anyway.'"

Michael added, "He asked me very respectfully and I just appreciated him for that. I think he’s a great dude, because lots of guys with his status, they would come in and demand and stuff like that."

Wentz not only wore the #11 in Philly ... but he also had rocked the digits during his college career at North Dakota State.

Carson Wentz will NOT wear #11 with the Indianapolis Colts -- because it already belongs to WR Michael Pittman Jr. ... and he ain't giving it up!!

"I am number 11," the 23-year-old wideout tells TMZ Sports ... "I don't think there's any deal that is gonna be done."

Don't get it twisted ... Pittman says he has a TON of respect for the QB -- calling him a proven winner -- but when it comes to #11, he's not willing to part ways with the digits he rocked his rookie season in Indy.

And, the good news ... Wentz is being totally cool about it.

"Yeah, so I spoke to [Carson] and he was just seeing how locked in I was to #11, and I told him I was locked in -- and he was like, 'That’s cool, bro, because I’m probably gonna switch anyway.'"

Wentz has worn #11 since his college days at North Dakota State and through his career with the Philadelphia Eagles -- but now that he's in a new city, he's open to switching to a new number.

"He asked me very respectfully and I just appreciated him for that. I think he’s a great dude, because lots of guys with his status, they would come in and demand and stuff like that."

Pittman says he's already making plans to get together with Wentz so they can start working out and training ... and believes Wentz will be the QB in Indy for years to come.

Carson Wentz just poured his heart out to his old teammates, fans and the Philadelphia Eagles organization ... thanking everyone for their love and support after being traded to the Colts.

Wentz was shipped to Indianapolis in exchange for a couple draft picks earlier this week ... officially ending his 5-year career with the Eagles.

The 28-year-old bid farewell to his first NFL home on Friday in a lengthy message, saying, "As one chapter closes, another one begins."

Wentz first thanked his Eagles teammates -- "I appreciate every one of you and will never forget the relationships and memories made over the years."

"So many lifelong relationships have been formed in that locker room. Thank you for the fellowship, the camaraderie in the locker room, and the daily battles out on the practice field!"

Wentz then showed love to the city of Philly ... adding, "You have been my home for the past five years. It has been everything a kid from Bismarck, North Dakota could have dreamed of."

"My family grew here, had a lot of fun, ate a lot of great food, got to be a part of an incredible church, and so many more memories off the field."

He continued ... "On the field, we brought the Lombardi trophy home to Philly and hopefully brought a lot of joy to the city over the years."

"Thank you to the amazing Eagles fans across the World that have supported my family, our foundation, and our football team through all of the wins and losses. It was an honor to play in a city whose passion and love for their football team is unrivaled."

Lastly, Wentz thanked the team that drafted him #2 overall back in 2016 and making his NFL dream a reality -- "Thank you Mr. Lurie, Howie Roseman & the Eagles front office, Coach Pederson & all of my coaches, our training staff, our equipment staff and all of the support staff at the Nova Care Complex."

"It has been an amazing journey and I wish you all the best."

Wentz says he's stoked for the new journey ahead with the Colts ... and it's easy to believe it -- he's already reached out to his new teammates via text and FaceTime!!

Carson Wentz is out in Philadelphia -- reportedly traded from the Eagles to the Indianapolis Colts ... for a pair of draft picks.

The deal is a little complicated but essentially comes down to this ... in exchange for Wentz, the Eagles get a 2021 3rd-round draft pick and a 2022 conditional 2nd-round pick that COULD turn into a 1st rounder.

How, exactly?

If Wentz takes 75% of the snaps at QB for the Colts in 2021 -- or if he takes 70% and the Colts make the playoff -- the 2nd rounder becomes a 1st rounder.

But, that's not really a guarantee -- since Wentz played poorly in 2020 and seems to be injury-prone.

Just to compare ... when the L.A. Rams traded for Matthew Stafford, they gave up Jared Goff PLUS two 1st round picks and a 3rd round pick.

Plus, the backup QBs in Indy aren't exactly scrubs -- Jacoby Brissett (who's now technically a free agent) has flashed real potential and Jacob Eason (the Colts 4th-round pick in 2020) could become a real contender for a starting spot as well.

Remember, at one point Wentz -- the 2nd overall pick in the 2016 Draft -- was an NFL MVP candidate ... and the Eagles liked him so much, they signed him to a 4-year, $128 million contract in 2019.

Now, Jalen Hurts will have a real shot to compete for the starting job in Philly -- though there are rumblings the Eagles are looking to draft a top-flight QB in April.

Indianapolis Colts superstar Darius Leonard says he's officially DONE talking about a possible Andrew Luck unretirement ... telling TMZ Sports, people just need to "move on."

"It's been like two years now and all you hear is 'Andrew Luck. Andrew Luck,'" Leonard says. "We gotta move forward one of these days."

Luck famously called it quits just before the 2019 season began ... and with the retirement announcement coming so swiftly and stunningly in the preseason, rumors of a potential return just haven't died.

In fact, Colts ownership, coaches and players have been asked about a Luck comeback repeatedly over the past few days and weeks ... particularly after Philip Rivers announced his own retirement.

But, Leonard says he believes his former teammate is seriously done ... and he's ready now to just let Luck go.

"It just sucks that that's the topic," Leonard said. "He's been retired for two years and we've been playing these games for two years without him and we're still answering questions about him. We gotta move forward."

Leonard continued, "We as players are tired of hearing the same remarks about Andrew Luck. He did all he could do. We appreciate him. We respect him. But, he's retired now so now we gotta move forward."

As for who the team will move forward with ... Leonard ain't so sure -- with Rivers' retirement and Jacoby Brissett set for free agency, there's not many answers on that front at the moment.

So, we had to ask the linebacker ... what about a trade for Deshaun Watson?!

Philip Rivers is done with the NFL ... the Indianapolis Colts star quarterback announced Wednesday he's retiring after 17 seasons.

"It's just time," the 39-year-old told the San Diego Union-Tribune. "It’s just right."

Rivers ends his career with a super impressive resume ... he made 8 total Pro Bowls, threw for more than 63,000 passing yards and logged 421 passing TDs.

In fact, some believe the work he put in with the Chargers could eventually one day earn him a bust at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

As for why Rivers -- who had a solid season in his first year with the Indianapolis Colts in 2020-21 -- decided to finally call it quits, he said a growing desire to coach high school football helped him make the choice.

"I can sit here and say, 'I can still throw it. I love to play,'" Rivers said. "But that’s always going to be there. I’m excited to go coach high school football."

You'll recall, back in May 2020, Rivers accepted the head football coach role at St. Michael Catholic HS in Fairhope, AL ... and got emotional explaining why he took the job.

Now, Rivers says he can't wait to get started molding high schoolers ... saying after his retirement, "That’s what I’ve always wanted to do. It’s been growing. I can’t wait."

Rivers added he's "100 percent at peace" with the choice to hang up the spikes.

"A young kid from Northern Alabama who grew up wanting to play pro ball," Rivers said. "I got to do it."

Andrew Luck might FOR REAL never play football again ... at least that's what Jim Irsay believes, with the Colts owner saying this week he thinks the QB will stay retired after all.

"I think that door's closed," Irsay told NFL.com.

You'll recall ... Andrew had one of the most shocking retirements in NFL history -- calling it quits just days before the 2019 season officially began.

Some thought it was a rash and impulsive decision ... and believed he'd return to action at SOME point.

But, Luck has remained retired since making the choice ... and when Irsay was asked if the 31-year-old might come back, the Indy honcho said, "You know, I don't think so."

"I really don't," he added.

It's a bummer for not only the Colts but all of the NFL ... Luck was on a Hall of Fame pace before he hung up the cleats -- making the Pro Bowl FOUR times in six seasons.

In his 86 games as Colts starter ... Luck -- who became a father in retirement -- threw for 23,671 yards and 171 passing TDs. He ended his career with an 89.5 passer rating.

Indianapolis Colts punter Rigoberto Sanchez says he will undergo surgery Tuesday to remove a cancerous tumor -- but he's grateful doctors caught it before it spread to the rest of his body.

The 26-year-old says the procedure will force him to step away from the Colts -- but he's adamant he'll heal up and return to the team.

Sanchez announced the diagnosis on social media Monday -- praising his medical team and his family.

"So grateful to be surrounded by doctors that helped me catch the cancerous tumor before it spread all over my body," Sanchez said.

"I will be getting surgery on Tuesday and I know that it will not be an easy bump on the road, but I know I have my amazing wife supporting me along with family, coaches, and friends reaching out."

Sanchez admits he was not mentally prepared for the diagnosis -- who could be? -- but vows to "come back stronger than ever."

Unclear where the tumor is located and how long Sanchez is expected to be away from the Colts -- but the punter says he'll be following the team closely.

"Makes me sick that I’ll have to miss some time playing beside my brothers, but I know they will hold it down."

Sanchez signed with the Colts in 2017 as an undrafted free agent out of Hawaii. But, he's been so good, the team signed him to a 4-year $11.6 million contract in 2019.

Get well soon, Rigo.

Here's Darius Leonard narrowly avoiding another awkward conversation with his wife ...

The Indianapolis Colts superstar actually checked his gloves Sunday before throwing them into the crowd ... dodging Wedding Ring Catastrophe Part II by the narrowest of margins!!!

If you ain't familiar ... back in September, Darius ripped off his gloves in celebration of a win and tossed them to a fan in the stands.

Turns out, though, his wedding ring had gotten stuck in one of the gloves ... and the 25-year-old linebacker had to beg on social media to get it back!!

Fast forward to Sunday ... and after a huge win over the Green Bay Packers, Leonard wanted to give his gloves away again -- and nearly threw the ring with them AGAIN!!!

Fortunately for Darius, he learned his lesson and actually checked the gloves before launching them.

The video is pretty funny ... Leonard realizes his mistake just before throwing the gear -- and, thankfully, a Colts staffer was able to fish the ring out.

The jewelry was saved, the fans got the gloves ... and Darius is still living the happy-wife, happy-life lifestyle.

More COVID problems in the NFL -- the Indianapolis Colts say "several" members of the organization tested positive Friday ... so they're shutting down the team facility.

"This morning, we were informed that several individuals within our organization have tested positive for COVID-19," the team said in a statement.

"The team is currently in the process of confirming those tests. In the meantime, the practice facility will be closed and the team will work remotely while following NFL protocols."

"We are in communication with the NFL and will have more information when available."

The team has not identified the people who tested positive -- unclear if it's players, coaches, execs, etc.

The Colts -- led by QB Philip Rivers -- are scheduled to host the Cincinnati Bengals in Indy on Sunday. But, now it seems that game could be postponed or canceled if the COVID tests are confirmed.

The Colts news comes one day after the Atlanta Falcons closed their facility following positive COVID tests.

Several teams have been affected by COVID so far this season -- from the Tennessee Titans to the New England Patriots, Raiders, Chiefs and more.

Story developing ...