Stampede Blue
With Adam Vinatieri set to become the 21st member of the Colts Ring of Honor, it is worth asking who should be next.
Vinatieri is an obvious choice. He is one of the greatest kickers in NFL history, helped the Colts win Super Bowl XLI, scored an NFL-record 2,673 points, and gave Indianapolis 14 seasons of reliability at one of the sport’s most unforgiving positions. His induction is not really a debate. It is the correct move.
The more interesting question is what comes after him. The Colts already have most of their obvious Manning-era legends in, including Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Edgerrin James, Dwight Freeney, Robert Mathis, Jeff Saturday, Tarik Glenn and Dallas Clark. That makes the next wave a little trickier, but there are still several names worth considering.
Hilton should probably be next.
He was not part of the Manning-era core, but he became the defining Colts offensive player of the Andrew Luck era. Hilton spent 10 seasons in Indianapolis, made four Pro Bowls, led the NFL in receiving yards in 2016, and gave the Colts one of the best big-play receivers in franchise history.
He also had the connection with Luck, the playoff moments, the Houston ownership jokes, and the kind of emotional connection with the fan base that matters for something like the Ring of Honor. This is not only about statistics, but rather it’s about whether a player helped define an era of Colts football. TY definitely did that.
He may not be a Pro Football Hall of Famer, but he is absolutely a Colts Ring of Honor player.
Sanders is complicated because the career was so short, but his impact was enormous.
At his best, he changed the entire defense. The 2006 Super Bowl run does not happen the same way without him returning late in the season, and his 2007 Defensive Player of the Year season was one of the best individual defensive years in franchise history.
The argument against him is obvious. He simply did not play enough. Injuries took away what could have been a much longer run, and that matters when comparing him to players who gave the Colts a decade of production.
Still, the Ring of Honor should have room for impact, not just longevity. Sanders was one of the most important defensive players the Indianapolis Colts have ever had, even if the peak was brief.
McAfee is a different type of candidate.
As a punter, return specialist and personality, he became one of the most recognizable Colts of his era. He was excellent at his actual job, made two Pro Bowls, earned All-Pro recognition, and later became one of the biggest media figures connected to the NFL.
The football-only case may not be as strong as Hilton or Sanders, but McAfee’s overall connection to the franchise and fan base is...
