Indianapolis Colts fans have spoken, and given the recent news that legendary longtime placekicker Adam Vinatieri will be inducted into the franchise’s illustrious Ring of Honor next season, it begs the question of who should be next among former Colts standout players?
While many Pro Football Hall of Famers have made also made the Colts Ring of Honor such as Bill Polian, Tony Dungy, Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, Edgerrin James and Dwight Freeney in more recent seasons, the highest honor the Colts franchise
can pay to its former players isn’t limited to those also enshrined in Canton.
Rather, we’ve seen other Colts greats, who so far have fallen short of earning a gold jacket, such as Jeff Saturday, Robert Mathis, Dallas Clark, and Tarik Glenn make the franchise’s Ring of honor given their high level of production, leadership, and as a result of bringing home the Lombardi Trophy for Indianapolis back in 2006.
Colts fans spoke on this topic and 35% of Colts fans believe that Bob ‘The Hitman’ Sanders should be next, who narrowly beat out former franchise wideout great T.Y. ‘The Ghost’ Hilton for the nod here:
Both players would be great choices, but Sanders to me should be the ‘Next Man Up’ given how long he’s had to wait and arguably one of the last great members of that Super Bowl winning squad to not earn such an honor.
I would make the argument that Sanders’ safety running mate, Antoine Bethea, who was largely underrated throughout his entire 14-year career as a former Super Bowl Champion and 3x NFL Pro Bowler is at least worthy of such consideration as well from that all-time great Colts squad.
Nevertheless, Sanders was the catalyst for that 2006 Super Bowl winning defense, that carried the Colts through their magical playoff title run, as his late season return reinvigorated their entire unit—particularly regarding their once much maligned run defense. He was like a big brother showing up to the playground fight.
He’s the only player in Indianapolis franchise history to win NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors and was a 2x NFL First-Team All-Pro and NFL Pro Bowler for the Colts—as well as a fellow Super Bowl Champion.
