3 Colts One-Hit Wonders We Wish Hadn't Disappeared

The Indianapolis Colts, even dating back to their days in Baltimore, have been a weird franchise. While legendary quarterbacks like Peyton Manning and Johnny Unitas have pushed the Colts to multiple championships, teams like the putrid 2011 squad and the 0-8-1 team in 1982 rank among the worst in NFL history. Because of that wildly inconsistent franchise history, dozens of players have looked like future stars based on their talent, but only had one brief glimpse of success as a Colt, with these three one-hit wonders epitomizing that concept.

3. OLB Jonathan Newsome

Indianapolis Colts pass rusher Jonathan Newsome / Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Newsome, a 2014 fifth-rounder out of Ball State, looked like one of the steals of the draft after a solid 6.5 sacks as a rookie despite extremely limited playing time. When Newsome was handed a starting role ahead of the 2015 season, he only ended up holding it for two games, and he followed up his 6.5 sacks with...ONE in 2015. He was cut after being arrested for possession of marijuana in 2016, and has since made a solid name for himself in Canada, where he is currently playing with the BC Lions.

2. RB Dominic Rhodes

Indianapolis Colts RB Dominic Rhodes / Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images

Backup running backs with one year of starting production following an injury to the starter often find themselves tagged as "one-hit wonders," and Rhodes is a shining example. An undrafted free agent who snuck onto the Colts after just two years at D-II Midwestern State, Rhodes ran for 1,104 yards and nine touchdowns after an injury to Hall of Famer Edgerrin James. Rhodes immediately fell off of a cliff, as he TOTALED just 529 yards over the next three years as James' backup. Even on the 2006 Super Bowl champion team, he managed just 641 yards, the only time he would top 600 yards in a season again, and 3.4 yards per carry while splitting time with Joseph Addai.

1. K Jim O'Brien

Baltimore Colts kicker Jim O'Brien / Focus On Sport/Getty Images

Adam Vinatieri is known for Super Bowl-winning kicks, but Jim O'Brien did it first. Originally drafted out of Cincinnati, O'Brien served as the team's kicker for four years. He wasn't very good, missing 48 of his 108 field goal attempts. O'Brien became a legend, however, with the score tied 13-13 between the Colts and Cowboys at Super Bowl V. After declaring he "couldn't kick on this stuff" upon seeing the Orange Bowl's artificial turf and missing an extra point early in the game, O'Brien, a rookie, drilled a 32-yard field goal with nine seconds left to give the Colts a 16-13 win. His pro career was short, but the 23-year-old's excitement after winning the Super Bowl for Baltimore is one of NFL Films' greatest clips of all time.