The “second” Wide Receiver for the high potent Indianapolis offense of the 2000s, Reggie Wayne had eight seasons where he went for over 1,000 Yards Receiving and one season where he led the National Football League in that category.  

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.

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 League.

The Colts inducted Saturday into their Ring of Honor in 2015.

Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1973 (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 the 50th, 75th Anniversary and 100th Teams as well as eight Pro Bowls and eight First Team squads.

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.

One of the best Wide Receivers in the history of professional football, Marvin Harrison spent his entire 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 1950s.  Most notably, he caught 12 passes in the 1958 Championship Game for 178 Yards and a Touchdown.  

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.  

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.

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 times and many have stated that the Colts would never have won the 1958 and 1959 NFL Championship without him.

The Colts retired his number 89.

As we slowly work on the 50 All-Time players for each major North American franchise, the follow up will be a look at how they honor their past players/coaches/executives. 

This being said, it is news to us that the Indianapolis Colts will be retiring the number 18 of former Quarterback, Peyton Manning and will also be erecting a statue in his honor outside of Lucas Oil Field.

The number one draft pick in 1998, Manning was the team’s starting Quarterback for fourteen years and was the NFL MVP four times.  Manning took the Colts to the Super Bowl twice, winning one of them, and threw 399 Touchdown Passes with 54,828 Yards as a Colt and is a surefire first ballot Hall of Famer. 

This will be the eight number retired by the Colts.

We would like to congratulate the Indianapolis Colts and Peyton Manning at this time and we are sure it will be a beautiful moment for the fans of Indianapolis.

Last month, regular contributor, Spheniscus and I debated the Hall of Fame merits of those who were on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot.

Now that the Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2016 has announced their class has done the same.  We were hopeful to do this prior to the announcement of the actual inductees, but life, as it often does simply got in the way!

Saying that, we felt it was worth our time to take a look at the 2016 Nominees and debate whether they should have gotten in (or not) and look to the future of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Last month, regular contributor, Spheniscus and I debated the Hall of Fame merits of those who were on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot.

Now that the Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2016 has announced their class has done the same.  We were hopeful to do this prior to the announcement of the actual inductees, but life, as it often does simply got in the way!

People may remember when John Elway refused to report the Baltimore Colts when he was selected first overall in 1983.  Baltimore traded him to Denver, but it wasn’t all bad for the Colts as they received a future seven time Pro Bowler in return.

Undrafted and out of Football, the Indianapolis Colts gave Jeff Satursay a chance to make their roster. Saturday did and would become the leader of the Offensive Line that protected the great Peyton Manning for a decade. He would make six Pro Bowls and earn two First Team All-Pro selections and was the 2007 NFL Alumni Offensive Lineman of the Year. Most importantly for Jeff Saturday, he was the starting Center on the Super Bowl XLI Champion Indianapolis Colts.  Saturday's protection and cerebral leadership exceeded his physical skills and placed him in this fringe Hall of Fame position.