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 2024 regular season.
Note: Football lists are based on an amalgamation of tenure, traditional statistics, advanced statistics, playoff statistics and post-season accolades.
In the lead-up to the 1998 NFL Draft, the Indianapolis Colts held the first overall pick and sat at a monumental franchise crossroads. The debate between selecting Tennessee’s polished, lineage-backed Peyton Manning or Washington State’s physically gifted Ryan Leaf dominated pre-draft analysis nationwide. While Leaf possessed a booming arm and raw athletic upside, Manning won over general manager Bill Polian…
Drafted in the ninth round of the 1955 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers—who notoriously cut him before he ever played a down—Johnny Unitas was forced to play semi-pro ball for $6 a game on a dirt field in Pittsburgh while working construction to support his family. Baltimore Colts head coach Weeb Ewbank offered him a second chance in 1956,…
A World War II veteran who fought in the Battle of the Bulge before starring at the University of San Francisco, Gino Marchetti arrived in Baltimore in 1953 via the Dallas Texans dispersal draft. Standing 6-foot-4 and 245 pounds at defensive end, Marchetti redefined edge play in pro football, deploying an explosive speed rush, elite leverage, and cat-like agility that…
When the Baltimore Colts selected Jim Parker eighth overall from Ohio State in 1957, Woody Hayes lost his prized lineman, but Johnny Unitas gained a pivotal asset that would change pro football history. After winning the Outland Trophy and a national championship with the Buckeyes, Parker arrived in Maryland at 6-foot-3 and 273 pounds—a formidable powerhouse for his era who…
Quiet, unassuming, and ruthlessly clinical on the field, Marvin Harrison redefined route-running precision from the moment the Indianapolis Colts selected him 19th overall out of Syracuse in 1996. While he showed immediate promise over his first two seasons, his career reached supersonic speeds in 1998 with the arrival of rookie quarterback Peyton Manning. Together, they forged the most prolific and…
Overcoming a shortened leg, wearing a back brace, and dealing with poor eyesight that required thick-lensed glasses on the field, Raymond Berry turned physical adversity into legendary mastery. Drafted out of SMU in the 20th round in 1954, Berry spent hours after practice running routes until dark, pioneering precise route running and turning wide receiver play into a science. Berry's…
Drafted in the second round out of Syracuse in 1963, John Mackey arrived in Baltimore as a formidable athlete who revolutionized the tight end position. With a height of 6-foot-2 and a weight of 224 pounds, combined with sprinting speed and remarkable open-field balance, Mackey changed the role from mere blocker to a significant deep threat, consistently outrunning linebackers and…
Drafted 30th overall out of Miami in 2001, Reggie Wayne stepped into Indianapolis and spent the next 14 years constructing one of the most reliable and prolific wide receiver careers in pro football history. While initially operating alongside Marvin Harrison in the Colts' high-octane passing attack, Wayne quickly proved he was an elite WR1 in his own right, pairing crisp…
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…
When the Indianapolis Colts shocked draft pundits by selecting Edgerrin James fourth overall out of Miami in 1999 instead of Heisman winner Ricky Williams, fans were skeptical. "Edge" silenced every critic before his rookie month was even over, stepping into the backfield with gold teeth, dreadlocks, and an electric running style that immediately transformed Peyton Manning's offense into an unstoppable,…
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…
Unheralded out of North Carolina and bypassed entirely in the 1998 NFL Draft, Jeff Saturday took an unlikely road to gridiron prominence. Cut by the Baltimore Ravens without taking a snap, he was selling electrical supplies when former college teammate Nate Hobgood-Chittick helped arrange an audition for Indianapolis executives. Signed in 1999, the 6-foot-2, 295-pound center quickly used his leverage,…
When the Indianapolis Colts drafted Dwight Freeney 11th overall in 2002 out of Syracuse, few envisioned how completely his hyper-explosive edge-rushing style would transform the modern defensive end template. Tipping the scales at 6-foot-1 and 268 pounds, Freeney weaponized elite low pad level, blinding first-step speed, and a legendary, lightning-fast spin move that left opposing left tackles frozen in their…
Before his razor-sharp wit made him a late-night television sensation, Arthur "Fatso" Donovan Jr. established himself as one of the most destructive interior defensive linemen in the early history of professional football. A World War II Marine Corps veteran who saw combat at Luzon and Iwo Jima, Donovan joined the original, short-lived Baltimore Colts as a 26-year-old rookie in 1950.…
Selected sixth overall out of Notre Dame in the 2018 NFL Draft, Quenton Nelson stepped onto the turf in Indianapolis and immediately established a new gold standard for interior offensive line play. Plugging straight in at left guard as a rookie, his rare combination of mauling functional strength, light-footed mobility, and nasty finishing ability transformed the entire culture of the…
Drafted in the fifth round from FCS Alabama A&M in 2003, Robert Mathis emerged in Indianapolis as an underrated pass-rush specialist. His relentless energy and quickness off the edge challenged typical size expectations. Standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 245 pounds, Mathis progressed from a third-down specialist to a premier game disruptor, excelling in strip-sacks more than anyone else before or after…
Fresh off winning the 1954 Heisman Trophy at Wisconsin, Alan "The Horse" Ameche arrived in Baltimore as the third overall pick in the 1955 NFL Draft and immediately established himself as a dominant focal point for the Colts. Combining a power-packed 218-pound frame with elite speed, he burst onto the professional scene by rushing for 194 yards in his very…
Selected in the first round of the 1965 NFL Draft out of Duke, Mike "Mad Dog" Curtis arrived in Baltimore with a reputation for raw, unchecked intensity. Initially deployed as a fullback on offense during his rookie season, the Colts quickly realized his vicious hitting and fiery demeanor belonged on defense. Upon shifting to linebacker in 1966, Curtis became the…
Drafted in the second round of the 1972 NFL Draft out of Penn State, Lydell Mitchell arrived in Maryland as an elite, multi-dimensional weapon ready to transform Baltimore's backfield. After a couple of seasons settling into the professional ranks, Mitchell exploded into full stardom alongside quarterback Bert Jones, serving as the offensive engine for a juggernaut squad that captured three…
