Indianapolis Colts: 15 greatest receivers in franchise history
By John Buhler
12. player. 46. . WR. (1990-93). Jessie Hester
- 230 career receptions w/Colts
- 3,304 career receiving yards w/Colts
- 13 career touchdown receptions w/Colts
- Career 51.6 receiving yards per game w/Colts
Jessie Hester first came to the Colts in 1990 after spending time with the then-Los Angeles Raiders and the Atlanta Falcons. Despite being a first-round pick by the Raiders in the 1985 NFL Draft out of Florida State, he only spent three years with the Silver and Black. After a year with the Falcons in 1988, Hester made his way to Indianapolis two years later.
In 1985 and 1986, Hester had over 600 yards receiving, but was never a volume receiver for the Raiders. He only had one catch for 30 yards in what was his final season with the Raiders in 1987. Though his 1988 season with the Falcons wasn’t anything special, his first year with the Colts sure was in 1990.
Hester had 54 catches for 924 yards and six touchdowns in that first year in Indianapolis. He really helped usher in No. 1 overall pick Jeff George that first year with the Colts. Hester’s 1991 NFL season saw him haul in 60 catches for 753 yards and five touchdowns. In a Colts uniform, that would be his lowest receiving yards total in his four-year stint with the club.
1992 saw Hester catch 52 balls for 792 yards and a touchdown. His last season with the Colts in 1993 had him with 64 receptions for 835 yards and a touchdown. Hester would leave the Colts for the Los Angeles Rams in what would be their final season before moving to St. Louis in 1995. He retired after the 1995 NFL season at age 32 with St. Louis.
Overall, Hester had 5,850 career receiving yards in his 10-year NFL career. Though he flashed some promise initially with the Raiders, the bulk of his numbers came in Colts uniform. Hester finished with 230 career grabs, 3,304 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns in his four years in Indianapolis.
His 51.6 career receiving yards per game with the Colts trumps his marks with his three other NFL teams. It raises his NFL career receiving yards per game total to 39.8. Though unremarkable elsewhere, Hester was clearly a force to be reckoned with during his time in Indianapolis.