A Baltimore Colt for the duration of his thirteen years of service in the NFL, Don Shinnick was one of the better pass rushers of his day. The former UCLA Bruin still holds the career record for Interceptions for the Colts and would lead the league in that metric in 1959, the same year he helped Baltimore to it’s second straight NFL Championship.

A product of the University of Iowa, Tight End, Dallas Clark was viewed by many as the prefect fit for the offensive system of the Indianapolis Colts.  Those prognosticators were not mistaken as Clark would set multiple records for a Colts Tight End and help Indianapolis win the Super Bowl.  Overall, Clark would tally nearly 5,000 Yards and was a one time First Team All Pro Selection.

Jerry Logan was with the Baltimore Colts for all ten of his National Football League seasons and most notably was with them during their first Super Bowl winning season.  Logan was a three time Pro Bowl selection who recorded 34 Interceptions, five of which he returned to the end zone.  He was also an adept Special Team player in the return game.

What can be said about “Mr. Clutch” that hasn’t already been said?  The legacy of Adam Vinatieri was already set in stone from his work in New England with his game-winning kicks in the 2001 blizzard playoff game against the Oakland Raiders and in two Super Bowls.

Vinatieri would sign with Indianapolis and while the second half of his career has not had nearly as many dramatic moments playing for the Colts as he did with the Patriots but he has been just as “automatic”.  The kicker is the only man in NFL history to have 1,000 Points for two different NFL teams and is the all-time points leader for Indianapolis.

Coming out of Ohio State, Running Back, Tom Matte would be with the Baltimore Colts for his entire 12 year career in the NFL with the Baltimore Colts.  Matte would go to two Pro Bowls and had over 7,000 All-Purpose Yards, even leading the NFL in that metric in 1969.

A three-time Pro Bowl Selection for Baltimore in the 1970s, Lydell Mitchell was a major offensive cog in the Bert Jones led the 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 Receptions, a rare feat for any non-Wide Receiver.  Mitchell also was the league-leader in Approximate Value in 1976.  Overall, Mitchell had 8,010 Yards From Scrimmage with 41 Touchdowns.

Making history as the first African-American starting Center in NFL history, Ray Donaldson came out of the University to Georgia to spend thirteen seasons with the Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts.  Donaldson would go to four consecutive Pro Bowls in the late 1980’s and later in his career would win a Super Bowl with the Dallas Cowboys.

Known as the “guy who was traded for John Elway”, Chris Hinton had a pretty good career in own right, predominantly with the Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts.  Hinton would make six of his seven Pro Bowls with the Colts and while he wasn’t “John Elway”, who would have blocked for him had he come to Baltimore?  
Chris Hinton agrees!

A three time Pro Bowl Selection with the Baltimore Colts, Rick Volk would represent his team three times in the Pro Bowl.  Volk went from the Rose Bowl to the Super Bowl, although in Super Bowl III he would be knocked out of the game with a severe concussion in Baltimore’s shocking loss to the New York Jets.  Super Bowl V would be a much better result for Volk as not only did he help them win he picked off Dallas Quarterback, Craig Morton to set up a touchdown that tied the game.  Volk would tally 31 Interceptions as a Colt.

Spending his entire career with the Baltimore Colts, Defensive Tackle, Fred Miller would participate in three championship games on behalf of his team.  Miller would win a ring in his final attempt, Super Bowl V, and along the way would go to three Pro Bowls.

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 part of that and was the man who scored the winning touchdown in that game.

Following Johnny Unitas couldn’t be easy.

A former Super Bowl Champion, Offensive Lineman, Bob Vogel would helm the Left Tackle slot for the Baltimore Colts for a decade earning five Pro Bowls and a First Team All-Pro nod along the way.  Vogel remains an icon in Professional Football in Baltimore.

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.

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 AFC Defensive Player of the Year in 1970 by the NFL 101 writers and aided the Colts in their Super Bowl V win.

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 1950, and then the New York Yanks, which folded the following year.  Coincidentally, it happened again as he signed with the Dallas Texans in 1952, which would make him the only player in NFL history to play for three teams in three years that all went out of business (though the new Baltimore Colts bought all the Texans’ assets, which was how he came to Baltimore a second time.)

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 would also notably lead the NFL in Sacks.

Perhaps one of the most undervalued defensive players in history, Dwight Freeney and his patented spin move made many Offensive Linemen 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 he reached in Indianapolis.

Frenney entered the Colts Ring of Honor in 2019.

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 in that category all-time.

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 superstar would be a five-time First Team All-Pro and was named the MVP in 1964.