WESTFIELD — The text message hit Sam Ehlinger’s phone right outside the locker room on his first day in the Colts facility, his first day in the NFL, four days after the euphoria of hearing his name called in the draft.
A friend in Austin had sent it, a short text, the kind Ehlinger knew he’d never send unless it was an emergency.
“Call me ASAP…”
Ehlinger called him right away, right there in the Colts’ hallway. His friend was standing outside the house of Ehlinger’s brother, Jake. There was caution tape around the house, eight police cars parked out front, and the police refused to tell anybody at the scene what had happened until they talked to the former Texas quarterback.