Report: Dwight Freeney's season might be over

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport is reporting that, via two sources, Chargers linebacker Dwight Freeney tore a quad muscle in his team's impressive victory over the Cowboys on Sunday.

Source: #Chargers DE Dwight Freeney suffered a torn quadriceps in Sunday's win over the #Cowboys that SD believes is a long-term injury

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 30, 2013

If the injury is long-term and Freeney does land on IR, his career might be over. If it is, we're talking about the end of one of the greatest defensive players ever, and certainly THE greatest defensive player the Indianapolis Colts ever had.

For all the people who think that Peyton Manning was the only reason the Colts became relevant in Indianapolis, those people are just plain foolish and short-sighted. As someone who remembers the Colts long before Manning, and who rabidly followed them during his early years, I remember the Colts still having issues selling out home games five years into Peyton's career. It wasn't until then-team president Bill Polian took a chance on Freeney, drafting him No. 7 11 overall in 2002, that the Colts began to become a true team.

Freeney was as much a star for Indy's defense as Peyton was for the offense, and had Freeney not injured his foot in the 2010 AFC Championship Game against the Jets, the Colts likely would have defeated the Saints in Super Bowl XLVI. Imagine how very different this franchise, and this league, would be if that had happened.

Freeney has 108 sacks for his career, doing most of his damage from the defensive end position. Here's to hoping his career is not over. He was playing well for the Chargers this year, and I honestly hope he doesn't go out like this.

For more on this story, check out Bolts From The Blue.