Indianapolis Colts: 30 greatest players in franchise history
Defensive End. 2002-12. Dwight Freeney. 8. player. 46.
During his heyday, Dwight Freeney was one of the most feared pass rushers in the NFL. With his patented spin move, the explosive edge rusher made life miserable for offensive tackles and quarterbacks alike.
The crazy part was that, as his career went on, Freeney continued to be an impactful defensive end. Although the last few years saw him turn into a journeyman, it became clear that NFL clubs still saw the value in his abilities as a situational pass rusher. That just shows you how good he was at hunting opposing passers.
Enough about his final days as an NFL player, though.
As a Colt, Freeney was simply unstoppable. Although some would make the case that Robert Mathis made the longer-lasting impact, his counterpart was a star from the get-go. Freeney finished with more double-digit sack seasons, including seven of his first nine campaigns in Indianapolis.
The fear he struck in opposing blockers and passers was simply uncanny. As much as some try to knock Freeney’s legacy when compared to Mathis’, there’s little reason to suggest the former wasn’t the better overall player.