Dec 29, 2020; San Antonio, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Sam Ehlinger (11) throws a pass against the Colorado Buffaloes during the first half at Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Sam Ehlinger Continues to Represent Texas Longhorns the Right Way With Denver Broncos

Originally posted on Texas Longhorns on SI
By Aaron Raley | Last updated Aug 28, 2025 7:21 PM ET

Former Texas Longhorns quarterback Sam Ehlinger, to be frank, hasn't had much of a career ever since he left Austin after the 2020 season.

After four years in Indianapolis with the Colts, the Longhorn signal caller played in eight games and only started in three of them, overall completing 64 passes on 101 attempts for 573 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions, all coming in the 2022 season after he took over for Nick Foles before being replaced by Matt Ryan.

And even after being released by the Denver Broncos earlier this week only to be re-signed to the team's practice squad, it didn't seem that Ehlinger was wanting to go anywhere else.

Ehlinger Turned Down Two Roster Opportunities to Start on Denver's Practice Squad

According to a post on X from NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the former Longhorn quarterback was very dead set on being with the Broncos, even if it wasn't on the 53-man roster.

Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

According to Schultz, Ehlinger reportedly "turned down two 53-man roster opportunities on other teams to start the season on the practice squad," and wrote that Ehlinger "loves the Broncos' quarterback room with Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham, and also quarterback coach Davis Webb, and believes in the team and their bright future."

Ehlinger was a standout during his time in the Forty Acres from 2017 to 2020, being named to the second-team All-Big 12 in 2020, and was the MVP of the 2019 Sugar Bowl when the Longhorns defeated the Georgia Bulldogs 28-21.

He was also the Offensive MVP of the 2019 Alamo Bowl, when the unranked Horns blew out the No. 12 Utah Utes by a score of 38-10, and also led the Longhorns to victory in the exact same bowl game in 2020 with a 55-23 win over the Colorado Buffaloes, only running back Bijan Robinson was named the MVP of the game.

Ehlinger currently holds the Texas football record for the most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a season after finding the end zone 16 times on his legs during the 2018 season, and also holds the Big 12 for most consecutive pass attempts without throwing an interception in a season and career, when he threw 308 passes in the 2018 season without throwing it to the defense.

After completing 923 of 1,476 pass attempts for 11,436 yards with 94 touchdowns and 27 interceptions, and 33 additional touchdowns on the ground with the Longhorns, Ehlinger was selected by the Colts in the sixth round with the 218th pick of the 2021 NFL draft.

This article first appeared on Texas Longhorns on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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