Selected in the second round (45th overall) of the 1967 NFL Draft out of Michigan, Rick Volk completed a rare football progression by transitioning straight from a Rose Bowl appearance with the Wolverines to starting in the NFL as a rookie. Arriving in Baltimore, the tough, cerebral safety immediately won the starting free safety job, bringing instincts, sharp tackling, and ball-hawking range to the back end of the Baltimore secondary.
Volk's impact was immediate, helping propel Baltimore to a 11–1–2 record as a rookie in 1967 while earning his first career Pro Bowl selection and First-Team AP All-Pro honors. The following season, he helped lead the Colts to the NFL Championship and an appearance in Super Bowl III. However, that championship clash turned tragic for Volk when he suffered a severe concussion in a collision in the second half, forcing him to be hospitalized while Baltimore suffered a shocking upset loss to the New York Jets.
Redemption arrived two years later in Super Bowl V against the Dallas Cowboys. Playing with a shoulder harness and relentless determination, Volk made one of the game's defining plays in the fourth quarter. Snagging a critical interception off Cowboys quarterback Craig Morton, he returned it 30 yards to the Dallas 2-yard line, setting up Tom Nowatzke’s game-tying touchdown run and paving the way for Baltimore's 16–13 victory to claim the Lombardi Trophy.
By the time his tenure with the franchise concluded after the 1975 season, Volk had intercepted 31 passes in a Colts uniform—ranking among the top marks in franchise history. He closed out his career with brief stints in New York (Giants) and Miami, but his legacy was permanently established in Baltimore as a big-game playmaker.
Selected in the seventh round (93rd overall) of the 1962 NFL Draft out of LSU, Fred Miller arrived in Charm City as a raw, physical prospect along the interior defensive line. Settling into the Baltimore Colts' starting lineup by 1964, the 6-foot-3, 250-pound defensive tackle quickly transformed into an unyielding anchor, anchoring one of the most formidable defensive fronts in professional football alongside Bubba Smith and Billy Ray Smith.
Operating as a relentless run-stuffer with exceptional lateral mobility, Miller made a career out of blowing up interior running plays before they could develop. His ability to collapse the pocket from the inside allowed Baltimore's pass rushers to wreak havoc off the edge. During his prime from 1967 to 1969, Miller earned three consecutive Pro Bowl selections, solidifying his reputation as one of the league’s premier defensive tackles.
Miller’s tenure in Baltimore was defined by relentless championship contention, as he suited up in three separate title games for the franchise. He anchored the defense during the historic 1968 campaign, helping propel the Colts to an NFL Championship victory over Cleveland before falling in Super Bowl III. Two years later, Miller got his redemption on the game's biggest stage, starting at left defensive tackle in Super Bowl V as Baltimore defeated the Dallas Cowboys 16–13 to claim the Lombardi Trophy.
Beyond his big-game pedigree, Miller’s hallmark was durability. Over his decade-long career spent entirely in Baltimore, he played in 133 regular-season games, missing only five games total throughout his ten years with the team. His quiet leadership and iron-man reliability along the front four steadied the Colts through two coaching changes and the transition into the post-merger NFL era.
Retiring following the 1972 season, Miller walked away with a championship ring and a permanent spot in Baltimore football lore. He compiled 52 unofficial sacks with 125 starts in 133 games.