Colts' All-Time Sack Leader Robert Mathis to Be Inducted into Ring of Honor

The Indianapolis Colts announced former defensive end Robert Mathis will be inducted into their Ring of Honor during a Nov. 22 game against the Green Bay Packers.

Colts owner Jim Irsay said in a statement:

"From a fifth-round pick from a small college to one of the most effective and feared defensive players in the NFL, Robert Mathis was a centerpiece of the historic Colts teams of the last two decades. He was undersized and underrated, but he made up for it with a motor that wouldn't quit and a flawless technique that outmatched the most talented lineman in the league. And to watch him strip-sack the quarterback—which he did better and more than anyone in NFL history—was a thing of beauty. What's more, Robert has stayed connected to the Horseshoe and has helped guide and teach our next generation of players. We are so proud that his name and his Hall of Fame-worthy career will be celebrated and remembered in Indianapolis from this day forward."

Mathis played his entire career with the Colts from 2003-16, making five Pro Bowls and winning the 2013 AFC Defensive Player of the Year. He is the franchise's all-time leader in sacks with 123, which ranks 19th in NFL history.

Mathis is the 17th member of the Colts Ring of Honor and he joins Dwight Freeney, his longtime co-wreaker of havoc in opposing backfields, who was the most recent honoree. More than half of the team's Ring of Honor is from Mathis' era with the team, as Peyton Manning, Edgerrin James, Reggie Wayne, Marvin Harrison, Jeff Saturday, along with coach Tony Dungy and general manager Bill Polian, have been inducted in recent years.

“I just wanted to live out my dreams of playing in the NFL,’’ Mathis told Mike Chappell of FOX59. “I could not have imagined it was going to turn out the way it did. I’m so severely blessed and humbled.’’

Mathis currently serves as a Colts team consultant after stepping away from his assistant coaching job in 2019.