Stampede Blue
Indianapolis, IN — The Indianapolis Colts are long past their days of upholding one of the highest standards that the NFL has to offer. Perhaps it’s a byproduct of no longer having one of the league’s best quarterbacks leading the way, or maybe it speaks to a greater dysfunction that has seen a once-was organization falter into the shield’s biggest seduction tactic: the acceptance of mediocrity.
One player who vehemently rejects this fall from grace is fan-favorite Ashton Dulin.
The longtime Colts specialist/wide receiver utility player has been highly regarded throughout his time in Indianapolis for his commitment to whatever role he’s given. Regardless of how the team is doing, you feel confident betting the house on Dulin doing the right thing on any given play. He’s the definition of an unsung hero.
A former D2 All-American, Dulin earned Conference Player of the Year honors for both his offensive and special teams production at Malone University, foreshadowing his successful road to and value in the NFL. After making it to the league as an undrafted free agent, however, Dulin wasn’t satisfied.
Grinding with his head down because he knows no other way, Dulin has long since blossomed into the special teams demon that we’ve all come to know. Meanwhile, his offensive prowess and reliability have flown under the radar throughout his Colts tenure. In his seven seasons with the Colts:
1x All-Pro 2nd Team (Specialist, 2021) with 57 total tackles, 3 fumble recoveries (1 touchdown), and 55 offensive touches for 763 yards (13.9-yard average) and 4 touchdowns
Sure, he’s not a focal point of the offense by any means, but Dulin is deployed as a versatile weapon (defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo even used him as a pass rusher this season!) who oftentimes serves as a spark to the operation at hand.
“He’s as gritty as they come, he’s as tough as they come, and he does anything that’s asked [of him],” head coach Shane Steichen cracked a smile as he gushed over the longtime Colt back in early October. “He understands his role. Hats off to him. Just a tremendous worker is what he is.”
Ashton Dulin didn’t grow complacent at the mere sight of success once he got to the league, but rather doubled down in his pursuit of personal excellence. So far, I’d say that he epitomizes what it means to strive for greatness. Meanwhile, the organization that he represents could learn a thing or two from the way he operates.
“I mean, they hold us to a high standard. With that comes a responsibility of maintaining that standard,” Dulin explained in his media availability yesterday. “I think that’s the first thing we do is make sure that we’re doing our part for the team, and knowing that it helps everything.”
The Indianapolis Colts just recently decided to ‘run it back’ as far as its leadership is concerned. Without rehashing that multi-layered discourse, the organization could learn something from Ashton Dulin, a player who simplifies necessary effort as...
