The following week, Tom Matte trotted onto the field to face the Los Angeles Rams at a position he hadn’t played in almost five years. The Pro Football Hall of Fame reached out to the Broncos after the game and asked for Hinton’s wristband, according to KMGH-TV’s Troy Renck. Matte and his teammates usually did what was expected of them. Emergency NFL QBs Who Have Been Called Into Action. He got his start as a head coach in Baltimore in 1963, just six years after he stopped playing in the league (1951-1957, including four years with the Colts). Anyway, that meant he and his teammates would face the Dallas Cowboys for the championship of nothing … which is perhaps why Colts coach Don Shula was willing to turn Tom Matte loose. At Ohio State, coach Woody Hayes had decided that his running back might be more useful under center. ', "But somehow I ended up as an All-American quarterback. “He had the final say, but I’ll tell you, he was a great coach. Tom Flores’ wait has ended. Tom Flores was given the news by Raiders owner Mark Davis and Hall of Fame president David Baker. As much as any city in the country, Boston has been the musical birthplace for the styles and artists we celebrate, making it … 1937 1939 1942 1943 1946 1957 1958 1963 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1996 1997 2002 2003 2007 2008 And I says, 'No, John.' The new class is … He said, ‘All right, Matte. Copyright © 2021 WordSmith Media Ventures, LLC. "I said, 'I don’t wanna play quarterback,'" Matte recalls. On his 30th birthday, Tom Yawkey came into a multimillion dollar inheritance left by his late uncle. College Football Hall of Fame Charles Aaron " Bubba " Smith (February 28, 1945 – August 3, 2011) was an American professional football player, who starred as a defensive end in both college and the NFL before becoming an actor following his retirement from the sport. Not only that, he was very active in the community, he had a wonderful family and the players really enjoyed playing for him.”. Ohio State head coach Woody Hayes had Matte play quarterback in 1959 and 1960. “I have very small hands. Mr. Commissioner, Mr. Mayor, Hall of Fame Committee, Hall of Famers, old and new, and most importantly you the fans that paved our parade route this morning and cheer in our stadiums, it is a pleasure to be here today and I want to update you on the score, the Browns are winning 7-3. It was a team. I could catch the football. He says, 'Well, we don’t like to throw the ball anyway.' "We were laughing after. He was just one hell of a coach.”. |, Ravens’ 2018 Draft Class On Course To Be Among Best In Franchise History, Glenn Clark: Let’s Not Kid Ourselves About What Matters Entering Orioles Spring Training, Team Profile: Watkins Mill High School Corollary Sports Program, Three Takeaways (And More) From The Terps’ 72-59 Win Against Minnesota. I’d come back in the huddle, and John would say, 'Tom, you wanna play quarterback today?' The Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2021 will be enshrined Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021, in Canton, Ohio. At the direction of Shula, Matte wrote down the Colts’ plays on a wristband to make running the offense easier. “[Unitas] and I sat down and figured out what I could do. They were switching me back to running back.". I had small hands and throwing a spiral was hard enough for me to do. Shula was trying to prepare them for that possibility. “I think he was very knowledgeable, very intense,” Matte said on Glenn Clark Radio May 4. “You didn’t want to get on the bad side of Shoes because you were in trouble. "'Cause you didn’t want to come back in the huddle if you dropped a pass. In two of his three losses, former Giants star Eli Manning was the opposing quarterback. They pressed former college QB turned running back Tom Matte into the starting QB role. Filed Under: Charles Woodson, Oakland Raiders, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Tom … The official source for NFL news, video highlights, fantasy football, game-day coverage, schedules, stats, scores and more. After Challenging Year, Orioles LHP John Means Optimistic For Future, How COVID-19 Wreaked Havoc On The Ravens’ Season, Glenn Clark Radio Week In Review: Feb. 8-12, 2021, Orioles To Welcome Fans To Ed Smith Stadium For Spring Training With Social Distancing Guidelines, Ravens LG Bradley Bozeman: Trip To Super Bowl LV Motivation For 2021 And Beyond. I really respected him.”, Matte touched on several other topics regarding Shula …, “I really enjoyed him as a coach, and he cut through the chase. It wasn’t the first time a coach had switched him to quarterback. The running back didn’t agree. Baltimore finished the season 10-3-1. The video is a more complete version of what the NFL posted Saturday. We all respected him. Defensive back Charles Woodson and quarterback-coach Tom Flores of the Raiders were elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, it was announced on Saturday night. Matte had the plays on a wristban and actually did a good job. (Technically, Hinton did not register as the team's starter for the game, as the team's first offensive play featured Lindsay … Shula is the winningest coach in the NFL history, having led his teams to 347 regular-season and playoff victories. and all this kind of stuff. On Sunday, Tom Brady threw three touchdown passes in his 10th Super Bowl appearance, winning his seventh Lombardi Trophy, and fifth Super Bowl MVP. ... that list is now in the Pro Football Hall Of Fame. Raiders Greats Charles Woodson, Tom Flores Are Hall Of Fame Bound. Bill Littlefield Twitter Host, Only A GameBill Littlefield was the host of Only A Game from 1993 until 2018. I should've patented the damn thing.". On Saturday, Peyton Manning headlined the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 2021 class announcement, as a first-ballot shoe-in after his legendary career. Anytime I had his game, he made sure I had all the information.”. Among those to break through were Raiders head coach Tom Flores and defensive back Charles Woodson. This is really funny. This has been updated since its original publication to correct what games Matte played quarterback in. . But his most memorable season might’ve been 1965, when he was forced to play quarterback with starter Johnny Unitas and backup Gary Cuozzo both hurt. The Colts lost both Hall of Fame QB John Unitas and very experienced and capable backup Gary Cuozzo prior to the game. He said, ‘Well, the one thing about Tom Matte, he throws that option ball.’ And I said, ‘What are you talking about, option ball?’ He said, ‘You could catch it at either end.’”. He was under center for the 10-3-1 Colts when they met the Green Bay Packers in a Divisional Playoff game on this day, December 26, 1965. For more from Matte, listen to the full interview here: Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Miami Dolphins, See all posts by Luke Jackson. Hats off to Michael David Smith and PFT for remembering that Tom Matte did this in that 1965 championship game all those years ago. There was active participation between the two of them, who’s going to control what and all that kind of stuff. For the Colts' regu… He won’t speculate on how well another emergency quarterback might fare these days, though he does have some advice for a running back or receiver pressed into that kind of service: Good advice under any circumstances … great advice if you’re playing football’s most important position in a game that counts. "He … Actually, once upon a time, he sort of was, and I’ll explain. And because he was no Johnny Unitas, he didn’t pass much. The kick was wide. Tom Matte, now 77 years old, is modest when he recalls his 12-year NFL career. They’ve got John Unitas here. Injuries to both of them led to two weeks of speculation about whether a guy who’d never played the position in the pros might have to do so. Don Shula knew the game defensively, and he did a tremendous job converting our defense into one of the top in the league. Former running back Tom Matte, who played for the Colts from 1961-1972, had long known Shula, who was just 10 years older than him, because both had grown up in Northeast Ohio – Matte in East Cleveland and Shula in Painesville, Ohio. You guys may have to play a lot today. Matte appreciated that Shula put him in the best possible situation in order to succeed in difficult circumstances. Matte had a couple of coaches who designed a game plan based on what he could do. I don’t wanna play quarterback.'". Don’t tell me I have to play quarterback.' Two of those catches were for touchdowns. "In fact, somebody gave me a wooden carving of a hand and a wrist, and so I have that wrapped around there, and it’s sitting in the den," Matte says. So, when Cuozzo took over for Unitas, Matte’s advice for the backup sounded pretty familiar. Matte was named the game’s MVP. Now, listen to this story. "I was praying they were gonna catch the ball, 'cause half the time they were like knuckleballs instead of spirals," Matte says. I couldn’t even put my hand around the ball,” Matte said. He personified what you wanted to have as a coach and a PR guy. All my receivers, especially Jimmy Orr, used to laugh. "Think about it," said Raymond Berry, the Hall of Fame receiver who played on that team. Potential First-Ballot HOFers? He says, 'Then catch the football.'". That’s what made him a great coach. Don Shula, who led the Baltimore Colts to a 73-26-4 record in the 1960s as part of a historic head coaching career that took place mostly with the Miami Dolphins, passed away May 4 at the age of 90. He did a great job, and he had a wonderful family. "They said, 'You better take some snaps from center,'" Matte recalls. Well, I found out quickly that they weren’t drafting me as a quarterback. “Unitas, he’d wrap almost all the way around the football, so he could always throw that wonderful spiral. She is the first female soccer player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. He called the defense into the shower room for a private meeting," Matte begins. He grew up here in Cleveland just before I did, so we go back a long, long way. Tom Brady is a Super Bowl champion again, for the seventh time in 10 tries. All rights reserved. Former Colts halfback Tom Matte poses for a photo with the wristband he made famous. Hinton's wristband is placed next to that of Tom Matte in the exhibit. That wristband is now in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. On how Shula and Unitas worked together to put the best possible product on the field: “The thing about Shoes is that he understood that Unitas knew the game offensively. That’s what he wanted," Matte says. Presenter: Roger Staubach. "I said, 'I don’t want to have anything to do with that.' But in the third-to-last regular season game, Unitas, the previous year’s MVP, went down with an injury. The Colts beat the Cowboys, 35-3. "I wasn’t the superstar by no means.". "I said, 'Don’t get hurt. Follow Luke Jackson on Twitter at @luke_jackson10. Late in the 1965 season, Matte also memorably filled in as an emergency quarterback when Colts QBs Johnny Unitas and Gary Cuozzo went down with season-ending injuries in consecutive home losses to the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers, respectively. Tom Matte: Pos: RB-QB, Career: 142 G, 57 TD, 4646 Yds, 3.9 Y/A, All-Pro(1st), 2xProBowl, Colts 1961-1972, 1x TD Leader, born PA 1939 That meant that backup quarterback Gary Cuozzo would be in charge the rest of the way. Tom Landry Enshrinement speech. She could print smaller than I could, so we had it all printed out.". After becoming the youngest head coach in NFL history when he took over the Colts at the age of 33, he went on to win Coach of the Year three times during his seven-year stint in Baltimore and led the Colts to an appearance in Super Bowl III against the New York Jets as part of the 1968 season. To help himself, Matte wore a wristband that included a small play card. We always had that theme of 'three yards and a cloud of dust. I couldn’t believe it. To be housed in the Wang Theatre, the Hall of Fame will celebrate the history of Folk, Americana and Roots music through displays, memorabilia, artifacts, multi-media, lectures and concerts. The Colts lost on a disputed Green Bay field goal about which, to this day, Tom Matte says there shouldn’t have been a dispute. The defense plays a lot — a lot more than they like to play — when their team’s quarterback throws interceptions. You’re drafting me as a quarterback?' And I say, 'OK.' And his coaches also came up with an innovation to help him remember the plays. FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- At long last, Tom Flores has been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It wasn’t the first time a coach had switched him to quarterback. Tom Matte was the first instant QB and he told Kendall Hinton how proud he ... and future Hall-of-Famers Deacon Jones and Merlin Olsen – I’d had a crash course in playing quarterback in the National Football League. He’d splice film together from the season before, show me all my highlights and what I did right and then he’d show me what I did wrong. Born in Sanger, he attended Sanger High … "And I says, 'Why?' Which brings us back to Tom Matte. And after I caught the football, I could get some extra yards. Matte had a list of plays taped to a plastic wristband -- now in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Colts had made it to the championship game in 1964. Covering Baltimore sports, from high school to the pros since 2006. I was reminded of some of Tom Matte’s sort of superstar days with the old Baltimore Colts this week because of what’s been happening to a contemporary NFL team. "We just kicked their butts all over the field," Matte says. Some two hours after this first inductee was announced, they finally got through the full list. "But they did catch the ball.". Tom Matte hoped that “switch” would stick. And then I got drafted by the Baltimore Colts in the first round in 1961, and I’m saying, 'What do they want me for? And then we proposed it to Shula, and Shula said, ‘We’ll do this, this and this. So of course Cuozzo got hurt almost immediately. This is what I also want you to do,’” Matte said. Under normal circumstances during the 1965 season, Matte’s job was to run the ball and catch the occasional pass from hall-of-fame quarterback Johnny Unitas. To read more about Tom Matte — and other non-quarterback quarterbacks — check out Sports Illustrated’s story “Emergency NFL QBs Who Have Been Called Into Action.”. You’ve got to run that option pattern coming out of the backfield.’ And he’d go through the whole thing and show me. Wristbands, game plans and a protective offensive line all worked for Tom Matte 50 years ago. He handed off a lot. Tom Matte, like his coach, had very little idea of how switching up the game plan would work out. On Shula becoming one of the faces of the NFL: “He had a great example in Carroll Rosenbloom, the owner here. I really enjoyed him. On the final play of the first half, from the New York 42, Colts QB Earl Morrall handed the ball off to Tom Matte, who promptly lateraled back to Morrall. These days, Tom Matte recalls his career as great fun, but the pressure before and during that game against Green Bay must have been considerable. February 6, 2021 at 7:01 pm. "I’m saying, 'Oh, my god. Over the next four-plus decades, Yawkey would become as synonymous with his franchise as perhaps any owner in baseball history. Under normal circumstances during the 1965 season, Matte’s job was to run the ball and catch the occasional pass from hall-of-fame quarterback Johnny Unitas. When injuries struck down the Baltimore Colts' top two quarterbacks, Johnny Unitas and Gary Cuozzo, during the 1965 season, Matte … Matte and his teammates must have done some serious running as well. That was the thing that he really personified in making his coaching decisions is to make sure that we were all together and one the same page.”. I says, 'You gotta be kidding me.'". 'Don't Get Hurt, I Don't Wanna Play Quarterback'. Tom Landry Enshrinement Speech 1990. We watched them all grow up. Winning meant the Colts would return to the NFL championship game. Tom Flores reacts to his Hall of Fame selection & details getting 'The Knock' Feb 06, 2021 Raiders.com's Eddie Paskal is joined by Hall of Famer Tom Flores to … For the playoffs, though, they turned to halfback Tom Matte, who'd been a quarterback at Ohio State University. There was a one game playoff to select the participant in the league title game. He wanted the players to be active in the community. OBL 2/12: Tom Flores on his Hall of Fame nod, Chris Trapasso's outlook for the Bills, Tasker's Teammate with Jeff Burris This week's Tasker's Teammate gave us a … Tournaments; Hall of Fame Classic Hall of Fame Classic at World Golf Village "Shula called the whole defense into the shower room. He just knew the game. Shoes just picked up right with him. Are Former Ravens WRs Anquan Boldin, Steve Smith Sr. And I had all the plays written on it," Matte says. He’s got the game ball in his trophy room, along with one of the wristbands he wore that season. He became a great, great friend when I got into the broadcasting business. The New England Patriots, without their first string quarterback due to suspension, have used two backups at that position.
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