Malone University's lone active NFL alumnus is watching from the sideline this Sunday — and his absence carries real consequences for the Indianapolis Colts.
Ashton Dulin, the Canton, OH-bred wide receiver who has carved out a meaningful role for Indianapolis primarily as a special teams contributor, has been ruled out for the Colts' Week 2 home matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. The news comes off a tough Week 1 showing for Indianapolis, which fell to the Baltimore Ravens 23–41.
Dulin's absence is no footnote. Per the Colts' injury report, he's considered one of the team's most important special teams contributors — the kind of chess piece that doesn't light up a box score but shapes field position battles, coverage lanes, and return game efficiency. Losing that depth against a disciplined Chiefs squad is a meaningful, if unglamorous, blow.
The silver lining for Indy: the injury report elsewhere wasn't all bad news. Anthony Richardson is set to serve as QB2 for Sunday night's game, meaning the Colts won't be short-handed at backup quarterback. Wide receiver Alec Pierce is also expected to see an expanded role in Dulin's absence, giving Pierce a chance to step into a larger share of the offensive workload.
For Malone fans tracking Dulin's NFL journey, the Week 2 scratch is a frustrating pause. The small-school product out of Canton has consistently had to earn every snap, and special teams has been his calling card at the professional level. Whether he returns for Week 3 will be worth watching closely.
The Colts and Chiefs kick off Sunday night, and Dulin will be among the players in street clothes as Indianapolis tries to avoid an 0–2 start.
AI-generated summary
