Robert Mathis Being Honored By Colts

The Indianapolis Colts have announced that they will be inducting Robert Mathis into the Ring of Honor during the 2021 NFL season.

Mathis will be honored with a ceremony during the November 28 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Mathis played defensive end with the Colts and is known as one of the best defensive players in franchise history. He was originally scheduled to be inducted during the 2020 season, but the team postponed the ceremony due to COVID-19.

The Indianapolis Colts Ring of Honor is the highest award given to a former member of the franchise, and Mathis will become the 17th player inducted. Many of the current members include former teammates of Mathis, as that was one of the best runs in franchise history.

Fellow defensive end Dwight Freeney joined the Ring of Honor in 2019, and Mathis was set to join him just one year later. On the offensive side of the ball, Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, and Edgerrin James are three of the most famous members inducted in the last decade.

Mathis was selected by the Colts with the 153rd overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft and played 14 seasons with the team through 2016. He was an unheralded draft prospect from Alabama A&M University but worked to continue proving doubters wrong in the National Football League.

During his career, Mathis racked up 604 tackles and 123 sacks and is the all-time franchise leader in that category. At the time of his retirement, Mathis was 17th on the all-time NFL sack leaders list.

During the 2013 season, Mathis led the National Football League with 19.5 sacks, becoming just the second Colts player to lead the league in that category. From 2008-2013 he was selected to six straight Pro Bowls in the AFC.

Nelson Staying at Left Guard

The Indianapolis Colts have a massive hole at left tackle after the surprising retirement of Anthony Castonzo. Castonzo helped the Colts form one of the best offensive line units in the league, and the team has been looking for a way to replace his production.

Quenton Nelson was viewed as an option to move over to left tackle from left guard, but the Colts have shut that notion down. Nelson has been one of the best left guards in the NFL, and the Colts don’t want to mess with him by making him change positions.

Nelson has been named to the All-Pro team at left guard in each of the first three seasons in the NFL. The Colts have signed three different tackles this offseason in an effort to keep Nelson right where he belongs.

The recent addition of former Chiefs left tackle Eric Fisher will keep Nelson at left guard as the team will simply try to fill in around their star. There are still some questions as to whether or not Fisher will be healthy enough to play in 2021 after suffering a torn Achilles in the AFC Championship Game.

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