Yahoo Finance More madness: Jared Veldheer could become first player to play for two different playoff teams
There will be a lot of firsts and onlys for the NFL this season.
Include this one: A player could play for two different teams this postseason. That hasn’t happened before, but this season’s practice-squad rules make it possible.
Jared Veldheer started on the offensive line for the Indianapolis Colts in the wild-card round after being elevated from the practice squad. Because practice squad players can be signed by other teams, the Green Bay Packers signed Veldheer on Monday according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Veldheer would be the first player in NFL history to appear with two teams in a single postseason, Schefter said.
The Colts might have had their postseason end with a loss last weekend, but Veldheer did not.
Jared Veldheer joins a second playoff team
The Packers need offensive tackle depth after David Bakhtiari tore his ACL in practice before Week 17. Veldheer is a familiar face.
Veldheer, who had played for the Oakland Raiders, Arizona Cardinals and Denver Broncos before last season, joined the Packers late in the 2019 season. He started one game, a divisional round win over the Seahawks.
Veldheer started one regular-season game for the Colts. He came up from the practice squad to start Week 17, then reverted to the practice squad after the game. The Colts activated him off the practice squad again for the wild-card game against the Buffalo Bills.
That is due to to the special NFL rules this season to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Veldheer was retired a few weeks ago
The NFL altered its rules for this season, allowing for expanded practice squads and the ability to elevate players if there were COVID-19 issues. That’s how Veldheer was able to switch teams this postseason.
Veldheer might not play for the Packers in Saturday’s divisional round playoff game against the Rams. But if he does it would be historic and perhaps something never duplicated. Even crazier, Veldheer was helping coach East Grand Rapids (Michigan) High School when the Colts called to see if he’d come out of retirement, according to The Athletic.
Veldheer went from believing he was retired to being on two different teams in the playoffs, starting for at least one, in a few weeks time. This season is not done with its weird twists and turns.
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