Colts picked perfect day to reschedule Robert Mathis Ring of Honor ceremony
By Jerry Trotta
The Indianapolis Colts’ 2021 schedule looks unforgiving on paper, but the combined winning percentage of their upcoming opponents from last season (.478) actually means they’ll have the 23rd-easiest schedule in the league, if you can believe it.
Make of that what you will, but we’re taking it with a grain of salt. After all, the Colts have a plethora of daunting matchups in store for next season.
Putting aside their brutal five-game stretch to open the year, perhaps their biggest game will come in Week 12, when they’ll welcome the defending champion Buccaneers to town.
As it turns out, however, that matchup will be significant for more than just the fact they’ll be locking horns with a longtime enemy in Tom Brady.
Per a team release, the Colts will induct edge rusher Robert Mathis into their Ring of Honor at halftime of that game. The ceremony was supposed to be held in 2020, but Indy decided to postpone it so that Mathis could be cheered by a potentially sold out Lucas Oil Stadium.
Colts announce that all-time sacks leader Robert Mathis will be officially inducted into the team's Ring of Honor at halftime of the team's Nov. 28 game against Tom Brady and the world champion Buccaneers.
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) May 17, 2021
The Colts picked the perfect day to reschedule Robert Mathis’ Ring of Honor ceremony.
This was the perfect decision from the Colts on multiple fronts. For starters, Mathis deserves to have a fully-packed Lucas Oil Stadium present for his ceremony, and COVID-19 restrictions wouldn’t have allowed that had the ceremony proceeded as planned last year.
The NFL is hopeful stadiums will be at full capacity by the start of next season, so, barring an unforeseen spike in positive cases around the country, Lucas Oil should be rocking and rolling by the time Indianapolis faces Tampa Bay on Nov. 28.
Furthermore, the fact Mathis will be inducted with Brady present is all kinds of poetic. After all, Brady was a recurring thorn in the Colts’ side during Mathis 14-year tenure. To add some context to their rivalry, Mathis was drafted by Indy just two years after Brady became the Patriots’ starting quarterback in 2001, so.
An influential member of the Colts’ championship run back in 2006, Mathis sacked Brady a whopping five times throughout his career. Believe it or not, that’s more than any other quarterback not named Blaine Gabbert or David Carr.
They're doing this on the day the Colts host the Bucs. That means Robert Mathis is going to have to resist the urge to tackle Tom Brady because, well, he's a quarterback and Rob hates quarterbacks. https://t.co/5xf41FB0y2
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) May 17, 2021
Getting beyond his history with the seven-time champ, Mathis is one of the most decorated defensive ends of his generation. The former five-time Pro Bowler spent his entire career in Indianapolis and is the franchise’s all-time leader in sacks with 123.
Mathis appeared in 192 games for the Colts, across which he managed 538 tackles (108 for loss), 141 quarterback hits, 54 forced fumbles, 18 passes defended, 17 fumble recoveries )three of which were returned for a touchdown), and one interception.
It’s a bummer we had to wait an extra year for Mathis’ ceremony, but considering it’ll now likely come in front of some 70,000 fans showering him with praise, it was definitely worth it.
Either way, this news confirms the official countdown for Mathis becoming the 17th member of the Colts’ Ring of Honor in November can start.
