Robert Mathis ends career as AFC Defensive Player of the Week
By Evan Reller
The Indianapolis Colts all-time sack leader Robert Mathis capped his career with a patented strip-sack and subsequent fumble recovery, and it earned him honors as AFC Defensive Player of the Week in the final game of his NFL career.
Robert Mathis has earned a special place in Colts history. He’s played his entire professional career in Indianapolis and racked up 123.0 sacks and NFL leader in forced fumbles with 54 in his 14 year career.
In his final game in a Colts uniform, Mathis had yet another strip-sack, taking the ball from Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles for himself. It was a fitting way for Mathis’ career to come to an end before the fans.
It also earned Mathis another honor: AFC Defensive Player of the Week. It was the fifth time in his career that Mathis has received the honor. That also ties him with former partner-in-crime Dwight Freeney for Player of the Week awards.
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Mathis is a sure fire bet for the Colts Ring of Honor and has a pretty decent Hall of Fame case to be made. He was voted to five Pro Bowls, one All-Pro roster and ranks 17th all-time in sacks in the NFL.
Mathis was quiet in his final season, recording just five sacks and 15 tackles. But Mathis also forced three fumbles, recovered two, and took one back for a touchdown. For his career, Mathis had three touchdowns and one safety (as it happens against Peyton Manning in 2013).
Following Mathis’ strip-sack on Sunday, he promptly took the ball and gave it to his wife for safe keeping His first strip-sack was given to his mother, who is sadly no longer with us, back in 2003.
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The big play also occurred on the same day the Colts inducted former GM Bill Polian into the Ring of Honor. Polian took a shot on Mathis in 2003 in the fifth round of the draft and it was the most rewarding selection of Polian’s illustrious Hall of Fame career.