“If you take me, I promise you we will win a championship. If you don’t, I promise I’ll come back and kick your a**,” is what Peyton Manning had said to the Indianapolis Colts’ management ahead of the 1998 NFL draft that would change his life. Ending his illustrious college career with a 39-6 record as a starter and 11, 201 passing yards, there was a lot of hope resting on his shoulders. And true to his words, the 22-year-old in his very first season with the Colts, started all 16 games as a rookie and set NFL rookie records for completions (326), attempts (575), passing yards (3,739) and also touchdown passes (26), at the time.

And thus began an iconic 18-year career (14 of which were spent as a Horseshoe Hero), placing him amongst the crème de la crème of the sport. Despite The Sheriff leaving the Colts in 2011, he is still associated with the team more than the Denver Broncos. Just ask the NFL, and they’ll tell you! For this time, Manning has managed to climb Mount Rushmore, only adding to his already-long list of accolades.

The Sheriff and the Legends

Eighteen seasons in the league, fourteen seasons with the Colts, and Manning lit up the field like the Fourth of July! Four MVPs, a Super Bowl win, and enough records to make your head spin! Remember 2004? Manning was hotter than a touchdown dance in the end zone – 4,557 yards, 49 TDs, and a passer rating that’ll make your jaw drop! The Sheriff wasn’t just playing football; he was rewriting the dang playbook!

And even though an unfortunate neck injury sidelined his chances to end his career as a colt QB, we bet the one common denominator in a majority of iconic moments within the franchise shall be Peyton Manning. So it was only natural that when the NFL Throwback YouTube channel talked about Every Team’s Mount Rushmore, The Sheriff would find a place among the greatest.

Featuring among other legends like Johnny Unitas, Marvin Harrison and Gino Marchetti, the video described Manning’s impact on the game: “Payton Manning was born to play quarterback attacking the position like a true Field General the second generation signal caller lived up to the pressure of being a number one overall pick Manning won four MVPs with the Colts and led Indie to their second Super Bowl win in 200 six 11 playoff trips in 13 seasons for one of the most prolific passers of all time.”

We can’t talk Colts legends without giving a shout out to Johnny Unitas – the original gridiron wizard, who played from 1956-1972! The legendary quarterback was the first player to throw for more than 40,000 yards in a time when seasons used to comprise just 12 to 14 seasons. Remember the 1958 NFL championship? Johnny U orchestrated “The Greatest Game Ever Played” like a maestro, putting the Colts on the map and changing football forever. Upsetting the New York Giants 23-17 in sudden death overtime in the overtime game in NFL history, Unitas led the Colts to their first NFL championship. During his career, the icon picked up three MVPs, 10 Pro Bowls from 1957 to 1967, and had an arm that could launch satellites!

Then there’s Gino Marchetti, whose life was unlike any other. Enlisting in the US Army right out of high school, Marchetti’s teenage years were mostly spent fighting in the World War II. However, upon returning, he joined college and ultimately enrolled in a football program. To many, Marchetti wasn’t just a football player- he was a force of nature wrapped in a Colts uniform! When he stepped onto the gridiron, it was like watching a tornado in cleats. Offensive linemen? They were just speed bumps on Gino’s highway to the quarterback! From 1953 to 1966, he bled blue and white, racking up accolades like they were going out of style. Two NFL titles, seven All-Pro selections, and a legacy that’ll last longer than AstroTurf! He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1972.

Last but not least, Marvin Harrison who played for the Colts from 1996 to 2008, a six-time All-Pro and an eight-time All-AFC selection and a 2016 Pro Football HoF inductee. Together with Peyton Manning, the wide receiver played for a mind-boggling 953 receptions, 12,766 yards, and 112 touchdowns, the most completions, yards and touchdowns by a duo in NFL history. They gave Colts fans more thrills than a rollercoaster ride. Harrison was a human highlight reel who turned catching footballs into an art form! He wasn’t just a receiver; he was a magician in cleats, making impossible catches look easier than tying your shoes! But here’s the kicker – Harrison wasn’t just good, he was video game good, with 1,102 catches, 14,580 yards, and 128 touchdowns. Now, that’s a legacy etched in the NFL record books!

But then, there were also many who couldn’t make it to Mount Rushmore, particularly a trio of Colts legends that’ll make your blue and white hearts swell with pride.

Honorary mentions from the Indianapolis Colts!

First up, Reggie Wayne, who played for the Indiana-based team from 2001-2014, after being picked up as the 30th selection in the 2001 NFL draft. The 6x Pro Bowl was akin to the iron man who suited up for a jaw-dropping 211 games, more than anyone else in Colts history, and had a total of 14, 345 receiving yards (just behind  behind Harrison’s 14,580) throughout his career. Instrumental in securing the Colts’ Super Bowl XLI win against the Chicago Bears, Wayne is currently employed as a wide receivers coach for his former team.

The list would be incomplete without mentioning Raymond Berry. Six Pro Bowls, 68 touchdowns, and a Hall of Fame nod in ’73 – not too shabby for a guy who looked more like your high school math teacher than a gridiron god! Playing as a split end for the Baltimore Colts (1955 to 1967), Berry retired as an all-time NFL leader in receiving yard and reception. He also helped the team come out victorious in the 1958 Championship game with a touchdown, and by catching 12 passes for 178 yards! The legend was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1978, and was even selected to the NFL’s 75th Anniversary All-Time Team. Notably, he was also the head coach of the New England Patriots from 1984 to 1989, clinching 48 wins and 39 losses.

And, who can forget Jim Parker, who in his time with the Baltimore Colts between 1957 and 1967 became a two-time NFL Champion, 8x Pro Bowl, 9x First Team-All Pro, among several other achievements. At one point, he was even called the “the best pure pass-blocker who ever lived.” Notably, he was also the first  full-time offensive lineman elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1973. His main job was protecting the team’s quarterback Johnny Unitas and, boy, did he excel in that!

“It didn’t take me long to learn the one big rule. Just keep them away from John. I remember Coach Weeb Ewbank telling me my first summer in camp, ‘You can be the most unpopular man on the team if the quarterback gets hurt.’ How could I ever forget that?” Parker had once recalled.

These legends are the backbone of Colts history, some unsung and some celebrated heroes who laid the foundation for every blue and white victory that’s cheered for!