Shane Steichen, Colts Receive Good News on Saturday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports
By Rowan Fisher-Shotton | Last updated Sep 20, 2025 1:21 PM ET

The Indianapolis Colts entered Week 3 as one of 10 remaining unbeaten teams, ranking fifth in total defense (267.5 yards allowed per game) and first in total offense (445.5 total yards per game).

They’ll face a Tennessee Titans (0-2) squad that lost 20-12 to the Denver Broncos in Week 1 and 33-19 to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 2, scoring less than 20 points in each game.

Coach Shane Steichen's Colts are already 4.5-point favorites, per ESPN BET, but Saturday's update has boosted their chances even further.

CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones confirmed that veteran cornerback Charvarius Ward Sr. has fully cleared the NFL’s concussion protocol, while rookie tight end Tyler Warren, who appeared on the injury report Friday with a toe issue, carries no designation, indicating that both will play on Sunday.

Great news for the 2-0 Colts going into Sunday's AFC South match against the Titans. CB Charvarius Ward Sr. has cleared concussion protocol and will play. TE Tyler Warren (toe) has no injury designation and will go.
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) September 20, 2025

Ward Sr. is in his eighth NFL season and first with the Colts after stints in the Kansas City Chiefs (2018-2021) and San Francisco 49ers (2022-2024). The 29-year-old has compiled 441 total tackles, 10 interceptions and 70 passes defended over 103 career games.

Known for his versatility in both zone and man coverage, Ward has been a consistent starter since 2019, helping the Chiefs win Super Bowl LIV and the 49ers reach consecutive NFC Championship Games.

Ward’s impact was evident in Indianapolis’s season opener when he tied for the team lead with six tackles and logged a team-high 45 defensive snaps against the Miami Dolphins.

After suffering concussion symptoms in practice early last week, he entered protocol but was a full participant in all three practices throughout the week.

Warren, the Colts’ first-round pick (14th overall) in the 2025 NFL Draft, has quickly become a focal point of Indianapolis’s offense.

The 22-year-old rookie has caught 11 of 16 targets for 155 yards through two games, ranking first among all tight ends in receiving yards to start the season.

Warren’s toe injury surfaced on Wednesday’s injury report, sidelining him from practice. He returned in a limited capacity on Thursday and Friday, never showing signs of a lingering issue.

By Saturday morning, he was officially removed from the report, clearing the way to bolster a Colts offense that's tied for first in yards per play (6.5).

Ward’s presence stabilizes a secondary that has banged up nickel personnel, while Warren provides quarterback Daniel Jones with a matchup-winning weapon against zone defenses.

With both players confirmed active, Indianapolis can deploy its full game plan against a Tennessee defense that's allowing the sixth-most yards per game (378.0) in the NFL.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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