Malik Hooker steps on the battered hearts of Colts fans in his first game against Indianapolis
In his first game against his former team, the Indianapolis Colts, safety Malik Hooker had a dominant game with the Dallas Cowboys.
In 2017, the Indianapolis Colts drafted dynamic safety, Malik Hooker out of Ohio State. Hooker was the first draft pick of the Chris Ballard era and he immediately became a fan favorite because of his ball-hawking skills. Unfortunately, Hooker never got to reach his full potential in Indianapolis as he battled several injuries. This led to the Colts letting Hooker walk in free agency in 2021 when he would sign with the Dallas Cowboys.
On Sunday night, Hooker had the opportunity to play the team that drafted him for the first time since leaving and he seized the moment. Every time it looked like the Colts were going to build momentum or make something happen, Hooker was right there to snatch Indy’s dreams way, figuratively and literally. Hooker had two game-changing takeaways in Sunday’s game.
The first was an interception at the end of the first half. With the Colts driving with a chance to enter halftime with a league, Hooker picked off a tipped Matt Ryan pass and set Dallas up for a touchdown. At the beginning of the fourth quarter, with Indy trying to hang in the game, Hooker scooped up a fumble and took it back 38 yards for a touchdown. Two incredibly tough moments to watch for Colts fans whose hearts have been battered enough this year.
Pick in the first half.
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) December 5, 2022
Fumble return for a TD in the second half.
It's officially a revenge game for 2️⃣8️⃣‼️#ProBowlVote + Malik Hooker
📺: @SNFonNBC | #INDvsDAL pic.twitter.com/xSNbQ3Hphf
Malik Hooker steals the show against Colts
Hooker played four seasons in Indianapolis and was a day-one starter. Whenever he was on the field, he showed why he was drafted 15th overall. He started 35 of the 36 games he played with Indy, recording seven interceptions and had two fumble recoveries. Many thought he could be a cornerstone defender for the franchise but his injuries ultimately led to his departure.
In a postgame interview, Hooker admitted that he did have a little extra motivation to prove to Indy that he’s still the player he was drafted to be. Two years after leaving Indianapolis, it was Hooker’s on-field play that led to the Dallas Cowboys running away with the game against Indianapolis.
