Indianapolis Colts: 6 best quarterbacks the franchise ever drafted
By Mike Luciano
5. Chris Chandler (1988)
Chris Chandler played only two seasons with the Colts.
Chandler was taken in the third round of the 1988 draft following his college career at Washington. While he never had a rocket arm, Chandler was able to win games by quickly processing the defense and making accurate passes. While that style helped the Colts go 9-4 in his starts in 1988, a poor 1989 season prompted Ron Meyer to ditch him for George.
After bouncing around the league as a backup and starter with the Cardinals, Rams and Oilers, Chandler found a home as a veteran game-manager on Dan Reeves’ Falcons. Chandler was named a Pro Bowler twice, with his 1998 season standing out as one of the best in Falcons history. Chandler threw 25 touchdowns and helped Atlanta get to the Super Bowl, where John Elway’s Denver Broncos took them down. Chandler retired in the mid-2000s with 28,000 passing yards and 170 touchdowns to his name.
Chandler could’ve stayed down after the Colts released him, but he kept at it and helped Atlanta become one of the best teams of the late 1990s while taking them agonizingly close to a Super Bowl victory.
But perhaps most importantly? The whole George experiment could’ve been avoided if Meyer didn’t give up on Chandler.