When it comes to legends, the Indianapolis Colts can claim quite a few. Most notable, of course, is quarterback Peyton Manning, who is usually overshadowed by the overrated Tom Brady. But in any case, the Colts has had its fair share of icons, and so when Bryan DeArdo ranked the top 25 players in NFL history, it's no surprise to see that two Colts made the list.
More surprising is where they fell, which was nothing short of an insult. This is what DeArdo said was the criteria he used to assess who the greatest ever would be:
- Individual success/accolades won
- Dominance during his era
- Longevity and career milestones achieved
- Enduring impact/legacy
- Team success/championships won
- Ranking relative to his position
So who were the Colts deserving of being honored, and why should they have been ranked higher? Well...
#13: Johnny Unitas
There were quite a few quarterbacks ranked above Unitas, including Manning and Brady, which... fair. But it still seems near-criminal to rank others, like Patrick Mahomes and Dan Marino, above him. Here's what DeArdo had to say:
"The NFL's best quarterback during the league's first 50 years. "Johnny U" led the Colts to NFL titles in 1958 and '59 and a Super Bowl title in 1970. He was the winning quarterback in what many consider the greatest game in NFL history: the 1958 NFL Championship Game between the Colts and Giants that was the first overtime contest in league history. His record of 47 straight games with at least one touchdown pass stood from 1960 until Drew Brees passed him in 2012. "Bryan DeArdo
All of this is true, and yet it still somehow downplays Unitas' achievements, and the effect he had on the game of football. Unitas deserves to be ranked significantly higher, because he wasn't just a good quarterback; he changed the way the game is played. He is the pioneer that paved the way for every modern-era QB to thrive.
On top of all that, consider his stats: 10-time Pro Bowls, five-time All-Pro, three MVP awards, three NFL Championships, and one Super Bowl ring. He threw for 40,239 yards with 290 touchdowns, and perfected the two-minute drill. #13? Really?
BOTD Johnny Unitas#Colts pic.twitter.com/OC0a7jcp7W
— Old Time Football 🏈 (@Ol_TimeFootball) May 7, 2025
#6: Peyton Manning
Colts fans are used to seeing Manning come behind Brady in QB rankings, as wrong as it may be. In this case, he came behind not only Brady, but Joe Montana, too.
"If Brady is Jack Nicklaus, Manning is Arnold Palmer in this epic QB rivalry. Brady has more titles, but Manning has his own unique legacy that includes a record five league MVPs as well as being the first starting quarterback to win Super Bowls with two different clubs. And like Palmer did with golf, Manning has served as a significant ambassador for the NFL, both during his playing days and in retirement. "Bryan DeArdo
Manning was better than Brady in the ways that it counted. Yes, Brady has more titles and awards, but take away cheating Bill Belichick and the rest of the Patriots, and who would be better then? We all know the answer. It's Manning defenders were worried about facing, not Brady. Take it from Ray Lewis.
"I would say from a quarterback... from a student level of the game, he made me alter my game. He made me watch more film and that's what I call the greatest quarterback, to me, me and his battle. Brady, of course, rings, but when you talk about just walking out there and seeing a man knowing that whoo, here we go again, Peyton Manning was rough."