INDIANAPOLIS, IN – DECEMBER 14: Reggie Wayne #87 of the Indianapolis Colts takes the field during player introductions before the game against the Houston Texans at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 14, 2014, in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
The Indianapolis Colts are one of the NFL’s most storied franchises so the competition for their all-time Mount Rushmore is intense.
When people talk about the most accomplished franchises in football history, the Indianapolis Colts don’t usually spring to mind. That is a mistake, especially when the franchise’s first iteration in Baltimore is taken into account.
The Baltimore Colts were founded in 1953 and became an immediate success story thanks to quickly discovering Johnny Unitas, who became one of the greatest quarterbacks who ever lived. The team won a trio of NFL championships prior to the AFL-NFL merger.
The period after Unitas’ retirement became a dark one for the Colts, who made the playoffs just once between 1978 and 1994, but things improved when the organization drafted Peyton Manning in 1998. Manning helped transform the Colts into a modern powerhouse, helping the franchise become a modern NFL powerhouse.
The Colts have had plenty of great players over the years, including some who didn’t make the cut like Reggie Wayne, Edgerrin James, Lenny Moore, Gino Marchetti, Art Donovan, Dwight Freeney and John Mackey. Who ended up making the Colts’ Mount Rushmore? Read on to find out.