Indianapolis Colts: 6 best quarterbacks the franchise ever drafted

Let’s talk some Colts quarterback history, shall we?!

The Indianapolis Colts, even dating back to their days in Baltimore, have always seemed to nail it at the quarterback position, routinely picking up first-ballot Hall of Famers and MVP candidates at a rate much greater than most other franchises. Whenever Chris Ballard decides to go draft another one, there’s a high likelihood that signal caller will be an effective starter, if history tells us anything.

While most teams struggle to find one quarterback that can carry the load for a decade, the Colts have six players that all piled up at least 18,000 yards and 124 touchdowns in the NFL.

We know, insane! So let’s take a look at the six greatest quarterbacks the Indianapolis Colts ever drafted.

6. Jeff George (1990)

Jeff George played his first four NFL seasons with the Colts.

Before the days of Trevor Lawrence, George was considered a can’t-miss prospect, as the former Illinois star was in possession of one of the strongest arms the game has ever seen. Drafted first overall by the Colts in 1990, George wore out his welcome by his second season, going 1-15 while leading the league in sacks with 56.

Oddly enough, he has some solid years after the Colts traded him away in 1994, sending him to the Atlanta Falcons for the pick that became Marvin Harrison.

George went 16-19 with 8,500 yards and 50 touchdowns in Atlanta, but he wasn’t retained long-term. He put together a truly excellent season in 1997 with the Raiders, in which he the league in passing while tossing 29 touchdowns against just nine picks. But he regressed immediately in 1998. After an 8-2 season in Minnesota and some bad years in Washington, George was out of football with 27,062 yards and 154 touchdowns to his name.

George had a very weird pro career. While he has his moments statistically, and his arm helped him play for over a decade, he was rarely in charge of a winning team and is considered by some to be a waste of talent considering the expectations. George is a perfect example of the fact that talent alone can help you have a long career, but it won’t guarantee a championship.