The 1980s were a difficult time for the Indianapolis Colts (then the Baltimore Colts). Everything seemed to go wrong; the team was plagued with inconsistency, poor coaching, average-at-best players, and a toxic off-field atmosphere. But the Colts never sank as low as they did in 1982.
There were already problems brewing before the season started, although they were league-wide. The eight-week players' strike lasted for 57 days, and it reduced the season to just nine games. And in the meantime, the Colts had just acquired Frank Kush, who would go down in history as the worst coach the team ever had, and drafted quarterback Art Schlichter. No one knew then just how bad those decisions would end up being.
Kush came to Baltimore after spending 20 years at Arizona State University, where he turned the Sun Devils into a powerhouse. But it wasn't without controversy; Kush was notorious for verbally and physically abusing his player, forcing his players to practice without water in scorching heat, and conducting dangerous drills that could leave his players injured. He would ultimately be fired after an altercation with punter Kevin Rutledge, but somehow, the Colts felt he was the man to bring them to success.
Additionally, Schlichter was selected in the draft after a successful college career, but there were warning signs there, too. He was openly gambling as early as high school, and had already lost thousands upon thousands of dollars. Unsurprisingly, it only got worse once he came to Baltimore.
When the team was finally able to begin practicing, Schlichter was out of shape and unprepared to lead the Colts as quarterback. He was replaced by Mike Pagel, someone never meant to be much more than a backup, which shows just how poorly Schlichter was playing. And overall, the team struggled.
By the time the season was over, they were winless, with an 0–8–1 record. The defense was bad, but the offense was horrendous; they averaged just 12 points a game, and Pagel threw six touchdowns... the entire season. The Colts were shut out twice, and in their game against the Buffalo Bills, the offense never even managed to get across the 50-yard line.
The cherry on top of the terrible sundae was that Kush's awful coaching cost them the chance to land John Elway, the only thing that could have possibly made it all worth it. Ultimately, the Colts faced a lot of struggles through the 1980s, but perhaps no season will ever go down in history quite as poorly as 1982 did.