Top 50 Indianapolis Colts
The Baltimore Colts first took the field in 1953 following the collapse of the Dallas Texans, most of whom joined the new team in the Mid-Atlantic Coast.The late 50’s were good to Baltimore, as they would win back-to-back NFL Championships in 1958 and 1959. They would win a third one in 1968, though that is one best forgotten. This was the year that they lost Super Bowl III to the New York Jets thus rendering the ’68 NFL Title essentially meaningless.
Baltimore would however rebound two years later and win Super Bowl V.
The team would controversially relocate to Indianapolis prior to the 1984 season however for years they were not a bona fide Super Bowl contender for years…until Peyton Manning was drafted.
Manning would take the Colts to two Super Bowls, winning Super Bowl XLI and providing the first title following the move to Indianapolis.
This list is up to the end of the 2018 regular season.
Note: Football lists are based on an amalgamation of tenure, traditional statistics, advanced statistics, playoff statistics and post-season accolades.
This one was surprisingly easy.Peyton Manning holds every major Quarterback record in Colts history and for that matter a cornucopia of all-time records in the National Football League.
Had it not been for the greatness of Manning, Johnny Unitas would easily be at the top of this list and certainly would be for over half of the NFL teams in existence.
Easily the best defensive player in Colts history, Gino Marchetti might also have been the best pass rusher in the NFL for a decade. Marchetti was also a great run defender and was regarded by many offensive players as the toughest player they ever faced. The Pro Football Hall of Famer would be named a First Team All Pro seven…
One of the best Wide Receivers in the history of professional football, Marvin Harrison spent his entre professional career with Indianapolis.
Raymond Berry was all about the details with every aspect of his game. An expert route runner, Berry rarely fumbled or dropped passes and was essential to the two consecutive Baltimore Colts Championships in the late 1950’s. Most notably, he caught 12 passes in the 1958 Championship Game for 178 Yards and a Touchdown.
The “second” Wide Receiver for the high potent Indianapolis offense of the 2000’s, Reggie Wayne had eight seasons where he went for over 1,000 Yards Receiving and one season where he lead the National Football League in that category.
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Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974 (his first year of eligibility) Jim Parker spent his entire eleven year career as a Baltimore Colt. The prolific Lineman was a champion in College (with Ohio State) and helped the Colts win the NFL Title in 1958 and 1959. Parker was named to both the 50th and 75th Anniversary…
Edgerrin James is the all time rushing leader for the Indianapolis Colts made an immediate impact when he joined the team as the fourth overall pick out of the University of Miami, even though many in Indianapolis believed that the team should have chosen Ricky Williams.
A Baltimore Colt for all twelve seasons of his career, Halfback, Lenny Moore was a bona fide dual threat. Moore was one of the rare players who was equally adept at rushing and receiving and scored more than 100 Touchdowns. Moore would lead the National Football League in Yards/Attempt four times, Touchdowns twice and Yards from Scrimmage once. The offensive…
The holder of the all-time Interception Record in franchise history, Cornerback, Bobby Boyd was a converted Quarterback who adapted well to the defensive side of the ball. Boyd would accumulate 9 Interceptions in a season twice and six times would exceed 100 Yards in Interception Return Yards. The three time First Team All Pro is still in the top ten…
The leader of the Colts Offensive Line that protected Peyton Manning for over a decade, Jeff Saturday was named to five Pro Bowls and two First Team All Pro squads. The undrafted and undersized Center would be named the NFL Alumni Offensive Lineman of the Year in 2007 and proved to all that overachieving is possible in the National Football…
In the history of professional football there have been multiple names that have been tagged as someone who “redefined the position”.John Mackey is one of those guys.
Perhaps one of the most undervalued defensive players in history, Dwight Freeney and his patented spin move made many Offensive Lineman look silly on a regular basis. Freeney was a seven time Pro Bowl selection as a Colt and would lead the NFL in Quarterback Sacks in 2004 and is also a member of the 100 Sack Club, a total…
If this were a list based on charisma and personality, the legendary Art Donovan would be at the top. Known for one generation for his radio show and David Letterman appearances, another generation knew him for his excellent defensive play and “Bulldog” like tendencies. Donovan was actually a member of the first version of the Baltimore Colts that folded in…
Robert Mathis would be the last player remaining from the Super Bowl XLI Championship winning team and while he was always a good player, a shift to the strong side showed even more production and he would win the AFC Defensive Player of the Year in 2013 and made his debut on the First Team All-Pro roster. That year, he…
Alan Ameche went from Heisman Trophy Winner to UPI NFL Rookie of the Year and was the starting Running Back for the Baltimore Colts for six seasons. That was from 1955 to 1960, the glory period for Baltimore. We have referenced the two straight Championships for Baltimore (and we will again) and the “Greatest Game Ever Played”. Ameche was a…
Considered by many to be the meanest football player of his day (and that says a lot doesn’t it?) Mike Curtis feasted on Quarterbacks the way we feast on turkeys at Thanksgiving. Curtis was originally drafted as a Fullback but converted to the defensive side of the ledger much to the benefit of the Colts. He would be named the…
A three time Pro Bowl Selection for Baltimore in the 1970’s, Lydell Mitchell was a major offensive cog in the Bert Jones led team that won three straight divisions. The Running Back out of Penn State put up three straight seasons where he would rush for over 1,000 Yards, but more notably he would lead the National Football League in…
The final game played by Tarik Glenn was a winning effort at Super Bowl XLI, which is about as good a way to end a career as it gets. Glenn took over as the starting Left Tackle and held that post for nine consecutive seasons. The last three saw Glenn represent Indianapolis at the Pro Bowl.