Former Baltimore Colts running back Tom Matte dies at the age of 82

Tom Matte (YouTube)

According to the Associated Press on Wednesday, former Baltimore Colts running back Tom Matte of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania passed away at the age of 82 on Tuesday according to Mike Klingaman and Edward Lee of the Baltimore Sun. He was survived by his wife Judy, and children Roland and Kate.

Matte played 12 seasons with the Baltimore Colts from 1961 to 1972, before the franchise moved to Indianapolis. In 142 games, he had 1200 rushes for 4646 yards and 45 rushing touchdowns. Matte also had 249 catches for 2869 yards and 12 receiving touchdowns.

On occasion, Matte was used as a quarterback, where he completed 12 of 42 passes for 246 yards, two touchdown passes and two interceptions. In fact, Matte was the Colts quarterback for Baltimore’s final two games of the 1965 season when Johnny Unitas and Gary Cuozzo had season-ending injuries.

Unitas was considered one of the greatest quarterbacks in National Football League quarterbacks in the history of the game, and is one of only two quarterbacks ever to start a conference championship game in three separate decades. The only other player to accomplish the feat is the great Tom Brady. 

Matte meanwhile had his finest NFL season in 1969. That year he led the NFL in rushing touchdowns (11), yards from scrimmage (1422), and rushing and receiving touchdowns (13).

Nicknamed “Garbage Man”, Matte attended Ohio State, and was the Colts’ first round pick, seventh overall, in the 1961 NFL Draft. A two-time Pro Bowler in 1968 and 1969,  Matte was part of the Colts’ team that won Super Bowl V as Baltimore defeated the Dallas Cowboys 16-13 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida on January 17, 1971.

Matte is also known for two games he played in during the 1968 NFL playoffs. He tied the record for most touchdowns in the NFL Championship Game with three in a 34-0 Colts win over the Cleveland Browns. Then in Super Bowl III, a 16-7 Colts loss to the New York Jets, Matte became the first running back to have 100 yards rushing in a Super Bowl, as he had 116.

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