Three Colts legends have made their way into the next round of Hall of Fame cutdowns.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame reached its next stage in the selection process on Wednesday, cutting down its list of Class of 2025 candidates to 25 semifinalists. Among those that remain are three Colts legends in wide receiver and now Colts WRs Coach Reggie Wayne, arguably the most clutch kicker in Pro Football History in kicker Adam Vinatieri, and strip-sack specialist and the franchise’s sack leader in defensive end Robert Mathis.
Reggie Wayne — Eighty-seven was one of the best wideouts throughout his 14-year NFL career as an Indianapolis Colt. Wayne’s 1,070 receptions and 14,345 receiving yards both rank tenth all-time, becoming one of just 10 NFL players to have garnered 1,000+ receptions and 14,000+ receiving yards in a career. Wayne’s dominance and longevity went hand in hand, not only during his career but throughout each individual season as well. His 93 post-season receptions rank fifth all-time and his 1,254 receiving yards rank seventh.
Adam Vinatieri — In his first year of eligibility, Vinatieri looks to become not only the fifth kicker ever enshrined into the Hall of Fame, but the first kicker to do so as a first-ballot candidate. Vinatieri, the NFL’s all-time leader in points score (2,673), sits behind only Lou Groza with the second-most first-team All Pro nods (3). Vinatieri’s greatness is not solely measured in kicks made though, as he is widely regarded as the most clutch kicker in NFL history, notably for his three game-sealing Super Bowl kicks with the New England Patriots in the early 2000s. He is a four-time Super Bowl Champion and was named to the NFL 100 All-Time Team.
Robert Mathis — The strip-sack specialist has now made it as a Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist in each of his four years of eligibility. Just like Reggie Wayne, Mathis spent his entire 14-year NFL career in Indianapolis where he totaled 123 career sacks to become the Colts’ franchise leader and earned five Pro Bowl nods along the way. Mathis became the NFL’s all-time leader in forced fumbles (52) and strip-sacks (47) during his time in Indy, culminating in a dominant 2013 campaign (19.5 sacks and 10 forced fumbles) that earned him his sole first-team All Pro nod as well as being named the Defensive Player of the Year runner-up.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame will trickle its 25 semifinalists down to just 15 finalists before the selection process wraps up. After those 15 are revealed later this season, the Pro Football Hall of Fame selection committee, which is comprised of a 49-person panel, will then meet ahead of Super Bowl LVIX to determine which three to five finalists will be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025.
