Indianapolis Colts punter Rigoberto Sanchez has been out indefinitely after undergoing a procedure to remove a cancerous tumor, but there’s a chance he returns this season.
While it isn’t clear how long his timetable for recovery is right now, head coach Frank Reich told reporters that he’s optimistic for a return this season, potentially for the playoffs.
“I’m really excited. He’s really making good progress. He is back in the building, he’s had a good week – making really good progress. Very optimistic and very happy for Rigo,” Reich said Friday. “Bubba (Ventrone) was calling his name out in a special teams meeting today asking him a question about something, so just good to have him here.”
When asked if he thinks Sanchez has a chance to play this season, Reich said, “I probably do, yeah.”
The Colts brought in veteran Ryan Allen to be the replacement for Sanchez while he recovers from the procedure. There’s no timetable for his recovery, but it seems he’s making viable progress to return at some point down the line.
With only four games remaining, the Colts are making a playoff push for either the top spot in the AFC South or one of the wild-card spots.
Regardless, the Colts are hoping that Sanchez can join them in January if his recovery timeline allows it.
