Trade History: Colts have a knack for bringing in receivers, sending out quarterbacks
The Colts started to play in 1953 as a replacement for the NFL’s first Dallas franchise, the Texans. The team stayed in Baltimore for 30 years before moving to the Hoosier State in the middle of the night on March 28, 1984. Before that point, the Colts had traded away two iconic quarterbacks, longtime star Johnny Unitas and John Elway, the first pick of the 1983 NFL Draft who went on to have a stellar career in Denver. In recent years, Indianapolis has turned acquired picks into star wide receivers Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, and T.Y. Hilton.
1. March 26, 1953:
Colts acquired: QB Harry Agganis, S Bert Rechichar, RB Don Shula, RB Carl Taseff, G Ed Sharkey, G Elmer Wilhoite, E Art Spinney, E Gern Nagler, T Stew Sheets, and T Dick Batten
Browns acquired: T Mike McCormack, C Tom Catlin, DT Don Colo, RB/S John Petitbon and G Herschel Forester
This trade was made about two months after clothing company owner Carroll Rosenbloom purchased the franchise rights of the Dallas Texans from the NFL. However, the sale did not officially take place until one day after the 1953 NFL Draft, the picks were technically made under the Texans name. The deal has been covered in the Browns draft trades story, but here is a brief revisit of the first major trade in Colts history.
Agganis was a two-sport star at Boston University, who chose baseball’s Red Sox instead of the Colts. In 1955, a bout of pneumonia led to a pulmonary embolism that took his life. Rechichar played in the Cleveland Indians’ farm system but chose football after being drafted out of Tennessee in 1952. Rechichar earned three Pro Bowl selections, won two titles, and set a record by kicking a 56-yard field goal during his seven-year stay in Baltimore. Taseff won two titles and totaled 19 interceptions in nine years with the Colts while operating as both a cornerback and punt returner. After his playing career ended in 1962, he served as a longtime assistant under friend and former Colts teammate Don Shula in Miami. Sharkey played as a linebacker and offensive lineman during his nine-year career. He spent just one season in Baltimore in 1953 and retired in 1958 due to a neck injury. Wilhoite was an All-American guard with USC in 1952 who chose to pursue boxing rather than football. He never played in the NFL, despite trying out for the Colts in 1955.
Spinney spent 1951-52 in the military during the Korean War. He was a two-time champion who earned two Pro Bowl selections in nine NFL seasons before retiring in 1960. Nagler was a Santa Clara product who was waived by the Colts before the start of the 1953 season. He earned a Pro Bowl with the Cardinals in 1958 and retired in 1961 with 3,119 receiving yards and 28 touchdowns in eight seasons. Sheets and Batten never played in the NFL. Sheets was a tackle from Penn State who was drafted by the Browns in the 17th round in 1952 and Batten, a tackle from Pacific, was taken in the 18th round the following year. Shula appeared in two NFL Championship Games and had 21 interceptions, including 14 in four years with the Colts. His 325 regular-season coaching victories are the most in NFL history, and he coached in six Super Bowls, winning twice with the Dolphins and posting the NFL’s only perfect season in 1972. Shula died in May 2020.
McCormack was a Hall of Fame tackle who was selected to six Pro Bowls, including five in nine years with the Browns. The former Kansas star won two titles as a player before embarking on a 32-year career as a coach and general manager, which ended with him operating as the first president and general manager in Carolina Panthers history (1993-97). Catlin was an Oklahoma product who played in three NFL Championship Games in five seasons, winning a title with the Browns in 1954. After retiring in 1959, he spent the next 35 years as a coach, including stints as defensive coordinator with the Rams, Bills, and Seahawks. Colo served in the U. S. Navy during World War II, then embarked on a football career during the 1950s. He was selected to three Pro Bowls and won two titles in six seasons with the Browns before retiring in 1958. Petitbon was a Notre Dame product who played both safety and running back in the NFL. He was a member of Cleveland’s NFL Championship Team in 1955 and had eight interceptions in four seasons before retiring in 1957. Forester only played four seasons in the NFL (all with the Browns), but he played in three NFL title games and won back-to-back championships in 1954 and ’55.
Assessment: Although each team won two titles after the deal, Cleveland’s players had more of an impact in those seasons. McCormack was clearly the best player from this trade, sporting five Pro Bowl selections and a Hall of Fame induction in 1984. BROWNS
2. January 22, 1973:
Colts acquired: $150,000 in cash (listed in many sources as “Future Considerations”)
Chargers acquired: QB Johnny Unitas
The whole “future considerations” trade product is usually a baseball staple and rarely finds its way into a football deal. In this case, the Colts traded away a Unitas, a franchise legend rivaled only by Peyton Manning, for $150,000. Baltimore went to the playoffs three straight years from 1975-77 under head coach Ted Marchibroda and quarterback Bert Jones. The team did not reach the postseason again until 1987, its fourth season after moving to Indianapolis.
Unitas, a Louisville product, went on to have a stellar 18-year career that resulted in a 1979 induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. His list of accolades includes three MVP awards, 10 Pro Bowl and five All-Pro selections, a 1970 NFL Man of the Year Award and three titles, including the “Greatest Game Ever Played” 1958 NFL Championship Game and a 16-13 win over the Colts in Super Bowl V. Unitas spent his final five years facing various injuries and splitting time with Earl Morrall. After the trade, Unitas reported to the Chargers (despite speculation that he would retire), and the 40-year-old split time with Wayne Clark and rookie Dan Fouts in San Diego’s 2-11-1 season in 1973. Unitas retired after the season and worked as an analyst with CBS. He refused to have anything to do with the Colts after they moved to Indianapolis. Unitas died of a heart attack in 2002.
Assessment: Neither team made out all that well in this deal. Unitas almost didn’t report to the Chargers, then posted a 1-4 record before retiring after one season. For the Colts, $150,000 didn’t go too far, even in the 1970s. PUSH
3. August 13, 1974:
Colts acquired: LB Tom MacLeod and an eighth-round pick in the 1975 NFL Draft
Packers acquired: LB Ted Hendricks and a 1975 second-round pick
MacLeod was a former University of Minnesota product who started 10 games with the Packers as a rookie in 1973. After the trade, he became a star linebacker alongside Mike Curtis in Baltimore. MacLeod was upset with being underpaid and retired after the 1977 season, but injuries forced the Colts to give into his salary demands and bring him back for one more year. After retiring for good, he moved to Washington state and spent 20 years as an emergency medical technician and a firefighter. The pick was used on Mario Cage, a running back from Northwestern State in Louisiana who never played in the NFL.
Hendricks was a two-time All-American at the University of Miami. He quickly became one of the best linebackers in the NFL, earning three Pro Bowl selections, being named an All-Pro in 1971 winning a title in Super Bowl V with the Colts. Hendricks was sent to the Packers and also signed a futures contract with the upstart World Football League. He was an All-Pro and a Pro Bowler after nabbing five interceptions in his only season in Green Bay. When the WFL folded, the Packers traded Hendricks to the Raiders for two first-round picks. He spent his final nine seasons in Oakland and Los Angeles, winning three titles while earning four Pro Bowl and two All-Pro selections. “The Mad Stork” retired after the 1983 season, which ended with the Raiders winning Super Bowl XVIII over the Redskins. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990 and was named to the NFL’s 100th Anniversary All-Time Team in 2019. The Packers traded the second-round pick (former San Diego State cornerback Monte Jackson) to the Rams as part of the deal for John Hadl, a six-time Pro Bowler with San Diego and Los Angeles. Hadl had a 7-12 record and a 9-to-29 touchdown-to-interception ratio in 22 games with Green Bay. He finished his career with two seasons in Houston before retiring in 1977.
Assessment: Hendricks and Hadl were the biggest names in this trade, but Hendricks spent only one season in Green Bay and Hadl was aging and ineffective. McLeod never made the Pro Bowl, but he was a solid starter during his five seasons with Baltimore. COLTS
4. May 2, 1983:
Colts acquired: T Chris Hinton, QB Mark Herrmann and a first-round pick in the 1984 NFL Draft
Broncos acquired: QB John Elway
The Colts moved from Baltimore to Indianapolis in 1984, and this was the final nail in the coffin. The team went 0-8-1 in the strike-shortened 1982 season, and Stanford quarterback John Elway refused to play for the Colts after they drafted him with the top overall pick the following year. Elway was a major loss, but something good did come from the trade. Hinton was a 1982 All-American at Northwestern who was selected with the fourth overall pick in 1983. He was a member of the All-Rookie team and made six Pro Bowls in seven seasons with the Colts. After being traded to the Falcons in 1990, Hinton was a Pro Bowler the following season and earned his only All-Pro selection two years later. He spent his final two seasons with the Vikings before retiring in 1995. Herrmann was a Purdue graduate who started just 12 games in 11 NFL seasons. He played five years in two stints with the Colts and ended his career as Jeff George’s backup with Indianapolis in 1992. The 1984 first-round pick became Ron Solt, a former Maryland guard who was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1987. Solt was traded to the Eagles the following season after a contract dispute, and his 3½-year stint with Philadelphia included a four-game suspension for steroid use. He signed with the Colts for one final season in 1992.
Elway got his wish, not having to play for the lowly Colts. The 1982 All-American led the Broncos to 10 playoff appearances and five Super Bowls in 16 seasons. After three losses in the late 1980s, he helped Denver win back-to-back championships in 1997 and ’98 before retiring. Elway won the regular season and Super Bowl MVP awards and is the all-time leader in Broncos’ history with 51,475 yards and 300 touchdowns. He has been Denver’s general manager and executive vice president of football operations since 2011.
Assessment: Elway led Denver to six Super Bowls and three titles, two as a player, plus Super Bowl 50 as an executive. Hinton was a star, but Elway was responsible for turning a franchise around. BRONCOS
5. October 31, 1987:
Colts acquired: RB Eric Dickerson (from Rams)
Bills acquired: LB Cornelius Bennett (from Colts)
Rams acquired: RB Owen Gill (from Colts), RB Greg Bell (from Bills), two first-round picks in 1988 (one each from the Colts and Bills), a 1988 second-rounder (from Colts) a first-round pick in 1989 (from Bills) and a two 1989 second-rounders (one each from the Colts and Bills)
Dickerson, an All-American and Heisman Trophy finalist with Southern Methodist in 1982, had a phenomenal start to his professional career. With the Rams from 1983-86, he totaled 55 touchdowns and 6,968 yards, including three seasons with 1,800 or more and a league-record 2,105 in 1984. Dickerson also was named Offensive Rookie of the Year, as well as Offensive Player of the Year in 1986. He continued his incredible productivity after the trade, posting three more 1,000-yard seasons with the Colts before injuries began to slow him down. Dickerson retired in 1993 with 13,529 yards and 90 touchdowns in 11 seasons. He was selected to six Pro Bowls, five All-Pro teams, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999.
Bennett was traded to the Bills since he and the Colts were unable to come to a contract agreement after Indianapolis selected him with the second overall pick in the 1987 Draft. The three-time All-American at Alabama earned five Pro Bowl nominations, including in each of Buffalo’s four Super Bowl seasons. Bennett ranks second in Bills history with 22 forced fumbles, third with 793 tackles, fourth with 52½ sacks and his 19 fumble recoveries are the most among Buffalo’s defensive players. He spent three years with the Falcons and two with the Colts before retiring in 2000.
Since they were parting with Dickerson, Los Angeles received two running backs and several picks in this deal. Gill was an Iowa product who had 490 yards and three touchdowns in two seasons with the Colts, but only played one game with the Rams and retired in 1987. Bell served as a rusher and returner at Notre Dame. He made the All-Rookie Team and the Pro Bowl after running for 1,100 yards and seven touchdowns with the Bills in 1984. After the trade, Bell led the NFL in touchdowns in back-to-back seasons (1988-89) and ran for more than 1,000 yards in both campaigns. He retired after spending the 1990 season with the Raiders. UCLA running back Gaston Green was not productive in three seasons with the Rams, but earned a Pro Bowl selection after rushing for 1,037 yards with the Broncos in 1991. He retired before the 1993 season. Arizona State wide receiver Aaron Cox started for the Rams as a rookie and totaled 98 catches, 1,673 yards and eight touchdowns over five seasons in Los Angeles. He signed with the Colts and retired after the 1993 season. The 1988 second-rounder was Purdue linebacker Fred Strickland, who had seven sacks and two interceptions in five years with the Rams. He played with four other teams over his final seven seasons before retiring in 1999. The Rams took University of Miami running back Cleveland Gary in the first round in 1989. Gary ran for 808 yards and a league-leading 14 touchdowns in his second season and had 1,125 yards and seven scores in 1992. He spent five years with the Rams and played two games with the Dolphins in 1994 before retiring after the season. Los Angeles took Notre Dame linebacker and 1983 high school All-American Frank Stams with the first of the second-round picks. Stams had 113 tackles in three years with the Rams. He played 3½ more seasons with the Browns and ended his career after playing with the Chiefs in 1995. The final pick was Darryl Henley, a cornerback and punt returner from UCLA. Henley had 12 interceptions in six seasons, all with the Rams, but got into trouble with the law after his playing career. He was convicted for trafficking cocaine, then hiring hitmen to try and kill both the judge and a witness, resulting in a 31-year prison sentence.
Assessment: Bennett, along with defensive end Bruce Smith, led a Buffalo defense that appeared in four straight Super Bowls. Dickerson still had some great years with Indianapolis before injuries wore him down. Los Angeles got a few good years out of running backs Bell and Gary, but not much production from the others. BILLS
6. March 24, 1994:
Colts received: First- and third-round picks in the 1994 NFL Draft and a first-rounder in 1996
Falcons received: QB Jeff George
The Colts traded both the 1994 picks to the Rams for the fifth overall selection, with one of those picks being sent to the 49ers and becoming four-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Bryant Young. The trade netted Indianapolis Trev Alberts, who was an All-American and won the Butkus Award as the best collegiate linebacker at Nebraska in 1993. His promising career was cut short due to injury, and Alberts played just 29 games over three seasons. Some of his injuries include dislocating both his right elbow and left shoulder, plus a hamstring injury and a concussion. Alberts was named Director of Athletics at the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 2009 and was promoted to his current position as Vice Chancellor for Athletics in 2014.
Indianapolis used the 1996 first-round pick on Marvin Harrison, who was a member of the All-Big East team at Syracuse in 1995. Harrison holds team records with 1,102 receptions (fifth in NFL history), 14,580 yards (ninth), and 128 touchdowns (fifth). He was selected to eight straight Pro Bowls from 1999-2006 and also earned three All-Pro selections. Harrison set an NFL record with 143 catches in 2002, which was broken by Michael Thomas of the Saints in 2019. He was a part of the Colts’ victory over the Bears in Super Bowl XLI and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016.
George was a former high school All-American and a star at Illinois when the Colts took him with the first overall pick of the 1990 NFL Draft. His tumultuous career began with an All-Rookie Team selection, but soon turned sour. George had a 14-35 record in four seasons with Indianapolis and was a pain to deal with off the field. He refused to report to camp in 1993 and only returned after Colts owner Robert Irsay threatened heavy fines for breach of contract. George had a career-high 4,143 yards with the Falcons in 1995, but was suspended for 13 games the following year after having a heated argument with head coach June Jones during a nationally televised game. He played with the Raiders, Vikings and Redskins over the final five seasons. He had tryouts throughout the early part of the 2000s, and officially retired in 2006.
Assessment: Even Alberts’ bad luck with injuries might have been enough for Indianapolis to win this trade, since the team was able to rid itself of George’s headaches. Harrison’s career put him in with the all-time greats and leaves no doubts in terms of this deal. COLTS
7. April 15, 1999:
Colts acquired: Second- and fifth-round picks in the 1999 NFL Draft (Mike Peterson and Brad Scioli)
Rams acquired: RB Marshall Faulk
The Colts used the second-round pick on Mike Peterson, a linebacker who was a member of Florida’s National Championship team in 1997 and was an All-American the following year. He spent his first four years with Indianapolis, making the All-Rookie Team and leading the league with 160 tackles in 2000. Peterson signed with Jacksonville in 2003 and spent six years with the Jaguars and four with the Panthers. He posted at least 100 tackles in seven of his 14 career seasons and 1,220 in all before retiring in 2013. Peterson is currently the outside linebackers coach at South Carolina. In the fifth round, the Colts selected Brad Scioli, a defensive lineman from Penn State. Scioli played 80 games over six seasons, all with Indianapolis. He had 15 career sacks, including a 2001 sack of Tom Brady that was the first suffered by the future legend. Scioli retired due to a shoulder injury in 2004 and has since become a physical education teacher and assistant football coach at his high school alma mater, Upper Merion, in southeast Pennsylvania.
Faulk was a three-time All-American at San Jose State and the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy in 1992 (won by University of Miami quarterback Gino Torretta). Faulk played his first five seasons with Indianapolis, winning the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award in 1994, rushing for 1,000 or more yards four times and being selected to three Pro Bowls. Due to his early success, he wanted a better contract and said he would potentially hold out, leading to the trade. Faulk signed a seven-year deal with the Rams and proceeded to become one of the stars of the “Greatest Show on Turf” in St. Louis. He started his Rams tenure with three straight 1,000-yard seasons, earning Offensive Player of the Year, Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections each year. Faulk was named league MVP after rushing for 1,359 yards and an NFL-high 18 touchdowns in 2000. He was also dangerous as a receiver out of the backfield, averaging nearly 70 catches and 600 yards a year with St. Louis. The Titans held Faulk to just 17 yards rushing, but he had five catches for 90 yards in the Rams’ 23-16 victory in Super Bowl XXXIV. Two years later, he totaled 130 yards (76 rushing and 54 receiving) in a Super Bowl loss to the Patriots. Faulk missed the 2006 season due to reconstructive knee surgery and he retired early the following year. His 58 rushing scores are tied for the most in team history and his 6,959 yards rank fourth. Faulk also sits in fourth place on the Rams’ all-time list with 470 receptions. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.
Assessment: The Colts transitioned by drafting Edgerrin James, but Faulk was an MVP winner who was a major contributor to a pair of St. Louis Super Bowl appearances. RAMS
8. April 21, 2001:
Colts acquired: First-, third- and sixth-round picks in the 2001 NFL Draft
Giants acquired: A first-round pick in 2001
Indianapolis drafted a one-star receiver in Marvin Harrison after a trade-in 1994 and they found another one in the first round after this trade. Reggie Wayne was a University of Miami graduate who went on to have a stellar NFL career. He was a six-time Pro Bowler and an All-Pro in 2010. Wayne had eight 1,000-yard seasons in his 14-year career, including seven in a row from 2004-10 and a league-leading 1,510 yards in 2007. He played in four AFC Championship Games and two Super Bowls, scoring on a 53-yard pass from Peyton Manning in a 29-17 win over the Bears in Super Bowl XLI. Wayne ranks second in Colts history behind only Harrison with 1,070 catches, 14,345 yards, and 82 scores. He signed with the Patriots in 2015 but later asked for his release, and retired after sitting out the season. Wayne was a Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist in 2020, but was not selected in his first year of eligibility. Safeties Cory Bird (Virginia Tech) and Jason Doering (Wisconsin) were both primarily bench players before retiring in 2004. Bird played his entire career with the Colts and Doering spent his final season with the Redskins.
The Giants gave up two extra picks to move up eight spots and draft Will Allen, a 2000 All-Big East cornerback at Syracuse. Allen played his first five years in New York, amassing eight interceptions and 299 tackles. He spent the next five seasons with the Dolphins, with seven interceptions, four sacks, and 233 stops. Allen signed with the Patriots in 2012, but spent the season on injured reserve and retired. He was in trouble with the law both during and after his NFL career. Allen was arrested for DUI in 2010. Five years later, he was charged with federal fraud, conspiracy and money laundering charges after getting caught operating a Ponzi scheme. In 2017, he was sentenced to six years in prison.
Assessment: Allen had a fairly productive career, but Wayne was one of the all-time greats and helped Indianapolis create one of the best-receiving tandems in NFL history. COLTS
9. April 27, 2003:
Colts acquired: A fifth-round pick in the 2003 NFL Draft
Texans acquired: A fourth-round pick in 2004
Indianapolis used its pick on Robert Mathis, a defensive end and linebacker from Alabama A&M. Mathis was a five-time Pro Bowler and an All-Pro in 2013, when he led the league and set a team record with 19½ sacks. He is also the franchise’s all-time leader with 123 sacks and 53 forced fumbles. Mathis had three tackles and a forced fumble in the Colts’ 29-17 win over the Bears in Super Bowl XLI, and he also had four stops in a Super Bowl XLIV loss to the Saints. He retired in 2016 and is now a pass-rush consultant with Indianapolis.
The Texans’ pick, Glenn Earl, switched from wide receiver to safety at Notre Dame. He had three interceptions, two sacks, and 154 tackles with Houston, but was released after missing the entire 2007 season with a Lisfranc ligament tear in his foot. He tried out with the Bears in 2009 but did not make the roster and retired.
Assessment: Even without Earl’s injury, chances are he would not have come close to matching Mathis’ impact. COLTS
10. April 27, 2012:
Colts acquired: A third-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft
49ers acquired: A fourth-round pick in 2012 and a fifth-rounder in 2013
The trend of the Colts making a trade and then using the acquired pick in an elite receiver continues. Indianapolis used the third-round pick from this deal on T.Y. Hilton, a Florida International product who was the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year in 2010. Hilton was a member of the All-Rookie Team, has been selected to four Pro Bowls, and has five 1,000-yard seasons, including a league-leading 1,448 in 2016. His best game might have been in the 2013 Wild Card round, when he caught 13 passes for 224 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner with less than five minutes remaining, as the Colts beat the Chiefs, 45-44. After eight seasons, Hilton ranks fourth in team history with 552 receptions and 8,598 yards, and he is seventh with 45 scores.
San Francisco’s pick in 2012 could have been bruising running back Lamar Miller, only they traded the selection to Miami. After a few other moves, the 49ers ended up with Wake Forest offensive lineman Joe Looney and Michigan State safety Trenton Robinson in 2012, as well as Eric Reid, an All-American safety at LSU in 2012, Quinton Dial, a nose tackle who was a member of two Alabama National Championship teams and Florida State linebacker Nick Moody. Looney spent his rookie season on the practice squad and played 19 games as a reserve guard and center in three years before signing with the Titans in 2015. After one season with the Titans, he has spent the past four with the Cowboys and is in line to start at center in 2020 after the retirement of Travis Frederick. Robinson played three games as a rookie in 2013, his only season with the 49ers. He spent three years with Washington, recording 89 tackles and two interceptions. Robinson retired in 2016 after a failed tryout with the Panthers. Reid has been the most productive player on San Francisco’s side of this trade. He was selected to the All-Rookie Team and the Pro Bowl after posting 77 tackles and four interceptions in 2013. Reid was a solid starter for five years with the 49ers but made headlines for protesting during the National Anthem with teammate Colin Kaepernick in 2016. He signed with the Panthers in 2018 and set a career-high with 130 tackles last season. Carolina released him in March 2020. Dial was the only pick from the original trade. He had 4½ sacks and 126 tackles in four years with San Francisco and was a reserve in 2017 with the Packers before retiring. Moody missed most of his rookie season with a broken hand but played all 16 games as a reserve in 2014. He spent one year each with the Seahawks and Redskins, retiring in 2016 after playing just 24 games in four NFL seasons.
Assessments: Looney’s best days have been with Dallas and Reid’s only Pro Bowl was as a rookie. Meanwhile, Hilton is quickly moving up the Indianapolis receiving charts and is one of the best wideouts in the NFL. COLTS
All NFL statistics and awards courtesy of https://www.pro-football-reference.com/
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