Colts should retire Robert Mathis’ No. 98
The reason Freeney is second in franchise history in sacks and forced fumbles is that Robert Mathis is No. 1 in both spots. Like Freeney, Mathis’ time in Indy was also special enough to earn him a jersey retirement.
Mathis wasn’t a high draft pick like Freeney, he was taken in the fifth round, however, he still carved out a path for himself as an all-time great.
After light contributions during his rookie season, Mathis established himself as a serious threat during his second year in the NFL. He led the league with six forced fumbles and also added 10.5 sacks.
The season following that, he increased his production to eight forced fumbles, a league-high, and 11.5 sacks. However, that was just the start of Mathis’s dominance in Indy.
He was ultimately with the Colts for 14 seasons but missed one year with an Achilles injury. In those 14 years, Mathis was selected to five Pro Bowls, played in 192 games, and recorded 123 sacks, 108 tackles for a loss, and 54 forced fumbles.
The “Manning Era” Colts aren’t the same team without Robert Mathis. He meant a lot to the franchise and the city of Indianapolis. The team can further show that by retiring Mathis’ No. 98.