REPORT: 5 Players Suited Up for the Indianapolis Colts

Some might forget that Marshall Faulk spent five seasons with the Indianapolis Colts before his NFL career truly flourished with the St. Louis Rams.

While Faulk started out with the Colts, there are several other stars who also made a mark with other teams and later played the final stages of their careers with the Colts, including two Super Bowl MVP winners.

Here’s a list of five players you might not remember donning the iconic horseshoe on their helmets.

Marshall Faulk

 

 

 

Marshall Faulk began his Hall of Fame career with the Colts but made his biggest impact with the St. Louis Rams. Drafted as the No. 2 overall pick in the 1994 NFL Draft out of San Diego State, Faulk earned Offensive Rookie of the Year honors by rushing for 1,282 yards and 11 touchdowns. During his five seasons with the Colts, he rushed for over 1,000 yards in four of them and made three Pro Bowl appearances.

In 1999, the Colts traded Faulk to the St. Louis Rams. That season, he led the NFL with 2,429 yards from scrimmage, rushing for 1,381 yards and achieving a career-high 1,048 receiving yards. He was named Offensive Player of the Year, an honor he would receive for three consecutive seasons, and finished second in MVP voting to his teammate Kurt Warner. Faulk played a crucial role in the Rams’ Super Bowl victory, amassing 257 total yards and two touchdowns in the postseason.

The following year, Faulk was named MVP after leading the league with 18 rushing touchdowns and adding eight receiving touchdowns. He spent eight seasons with the Rams, earning seven Pro Bowl selections and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011.

Richard Dent

Richard Dent, drafted by the Chicago Bears in the eighth round of the 1983 NFL Draft, turned out to be the draft’s greatest steal.

Standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing 265 pounds, the defensive lineman from Tennessee State University quickly proved he could compete at the NFL level. Although he started just three games and recorded three sacks as a rookie in 1983, Dent broke out in his second season with 10 starts, 17.5 sacks, and a league-leading four forced fumbles. This impressive performance earned him the first of his four Pro Bowl selections and a Second-Team All-Pro nod.

In 1985, Dent was integral to one of the most formidable defensive units in NFL history, recording another 17 sacks. That season, the Bears set numerous records, finished the regular season 15-1, and dominated the New England Patriots 46-10 in Super Bowl XX. Dent’s performance in the Super Bowl, which included 1.5 sacks and two forced fumbles, earned him MVP honors.

Throughout his 12 seasons with the Bears, Dent accumulated 124.5 sacks. In 1994, he joined the San Francisco 49ers and won another Super Bowl ring despite being limited to just two regular-season games due to injuries. Dent returned to the Bears for the 1995 season before signing with the Colts in 1996, where he played all 16 games, starting just one, and recording 6.5 sacks. He concluded his career with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1997.

Dent was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011.

Joe Klecko

Joe Klecko joined Mark Gastineau, Mary Lyons, and Abdul Salaam to form one of the best defensive lines in the NFL for the New York Jets in the 1980s. This group, famously known as the “New York Sack Exchange,” dominated opposing quarterbacks and combined for 66 sacks during the 1981 season.

Joe Klecko with the #Colts pic.twitter.com/NWDZK8NKsL

— Old Time Football 🏈 (@Ol_TimeFootball) June 23, 2021

In that ’81 season, Klecko led the NFL with 20.5 sacks and finished second in the Defensive Player of the Year voting. He was named to the first of his four Pro Bowls and earned a First-Team All-Pro selection.

The Temple graduate spent 11 seasons with the Jets, amassing 78 sacks. He received another First-Team All-Pro honor in 1985.

However, knee injuries plagued Klecko in the later stages of his career. He played only seven games in 1987, and the Jets released him after the season. In 1988, he signed with the Colts.

For the Colts, he started 14 games, recorded one fumble recovery but did not have any sacks. Klecko was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2023.

Andre Johnson

Andre Johnson demonstrated he was one of the premier wide receivers of his era during his 12 seasons with the Houston Texans, who selected him third overall in the 2003 NFL Draft. Over those 12 seasons, Johnson earned Pro Bowl selections seven times and led the NFL in receiving yards twice.

In 2008, Johnson topped the league with 1,575 receiving yards and repeated this feat in 2009 with 1,569 yards, earning First-Team All-Pro honors both years. His career-high of 1,598 receiving yards in 2012, however, did not lead the NFL.

The Texans released Johnson in March 2015, and he signed with the Indianapolis Colts two days later. Despite playing in 16 games and starting 14, Johnson had a subdued season, recording 41 receptions for 503 yards and four touchdowns.

Although Johnson had signed a three-year contract with the Colts, he played only one season before being released in March 2016. He then signed with the Tennessee Titans, another division rival, in 2016. With the Titans, he had nine catches for 85 yards and two touchdowns in eight games.

In October 2016, Johnson retired from the NFL. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2024.

Mark Rypien

Mark Rypien had a 14-season career in the NFL, primarily remembered for his time with the Washington Commanders. He led the team to a Super Bowl 26 victory over the Buffalo Bills, earning MVP honors.

Super Bowl MVP Mark Rypien – Colts https://t.co/bA3LPsBl10 pic.twitter.com/bYb02AaO8h

— ColtsFanCole (@ColtsFanCole) May 20, 2024

During his six years with Washington, Rypien achieved a 45-27 regular-season record and made two Pro Bowl appearances. He then spent the next four years with three different teams. In 1994, he joined the Cleveland Browns as Vinny Testaverde’s backup, starting three games and achieving a 2-1 record.

After six games with the Browns, Rypien moved to the Rams in 1995, where he went 0-3 in his three starts. In 1996, he threw 13 passes for the Philadelphia Eagles. Rypien returned to the Rams in 1997, appearing in five games as a relief player, and announced his retirement after the season.

Rypien came out of retirement in 2001 to back up Peyton Manning for the Colts, but with Manning at the helm, Rypien had limited playing time. In four games, he completed five of nine passes for 57 yards. In 2002, Rypien played two preseason games for the Seattle Seahawks but was cut before the regular season began and never played in the NFL again.