1976 Baltimore Colts season

24th season in franchise history August 2023 March 2026 Baltimore Colts 1976 11–3 T-1st AFC East Ted Marchibroda Robert Irsay Joe Thomas Memorial Stadium Lost Divisional Playoffs(vs. Steelers) 14–40 T George KunzQB Bert JonesWR Roger CarrRB Lydell MitchellDE John DuttonK Toni Linhart Colts seasons The 1976 Baltimore Colts season was the 24th season for the team in the National Football League. Led by second-year head coach Ted Marchibroda, the Colts finished with a record of 11 wins and 3 losses, tied for first in the AFC East division with the New England Patriots.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=639IAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Tm0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5637%2C1585939 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Associated Press A romp in Baltimore sets up playoff scene December 13, 1976 18 Baltimore won the AFC East title based on a better division record (7–1 to Patriots' 6–2). Marchibroda, the reigning NFL coach of the year, resigned a week before the regular season opener, due to a power struggle with general manager Joe Thomas and owner Robert Irsay.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xnhQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4hEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4002%2C904025 Milwaukee Sentinel Associated Press Marchibroda quits Colts September 6, 1976 1, part 2 June 2023 InternetArchiveBot yes Baltimore had won its first two preseason games, then dropped the final four. Several Colts assistant coaches threatened to leave the team, and quarterback Bert Jones publicly came to his coach's defense.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=x3hQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4hEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3595%2C1098532 Milwaukee Sentinel UPI Colts claim front office ruined team September 7, 1976 1, part 2 June 2023 InternetArchiveBot yes Thomas and Irsay quickly made amends with the coach before the season started.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DiFOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=mu0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6756%2C2519825 Spokesman-Review Spokane, Washington Associated Press Marchibroda back; Colts' standoff over September 8, 1976 23https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=yHhQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4hEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6252%2C1266483 Milwaukee Sentinel UPI Marchibroda is back with Colts September 8, 1976 1, part 2 June 2023 InternetArchiveBot yes https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=yHhQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4hEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6493%2C1265098 Milwaukee Sentinel Lea Bud Bud Lea Irsay bows to pressure September 8, 1976 1, part 2 June 2023 InternetArchiveBot yes Neft, David S.; Cohen, Richard M.; and Korch, Rich The Sports Encyclopedia: Pro Football, 12th Edition, p.306, Martin’s Press, August 1994, 0-312-11073-1 (Thomas would be fired by the team shortly after the season.) The Colts’ offense was dominant in 1976: they led the league in scoring with 417 points (29.7 per game). Jones was named league MVP after passing for a league-best 3,104 yards, 9.27 yards-per-attempt, and a passer rating of 102.5, second best in the NFL. Running back Lydell Mitchell also had a spectacular year, rushing for 1,200 yards,fourth-best in the NFL, second-best in the NFC behind O. J. Simpson and catching 60 passes. Wide receiver Roger Carr proved to be a valuable deep threat in the passing game, leading the league with 1,112 receiving yards and 25.9 yards per reception.Pro-Football-Reference.com: 1976 NFL Leaders and Leaderboards All three offensive players made the Pro Bowl team. Offseason 1976 expansion draft 1976 NFL expansion draft + Baltimore Colts selected during the expansion draft Round Overall Name Position Expansion team00Mike CurtisLinebackerSeattle Seahawks00Bill OldsFullbackSeattle Seahawks00Dave PearDefensive tackleTampa Bay Buccaneers Draft 1976 NFL draft 1976 Baltimore Colts 1 20 Ken Novak Defensive tackle Purdue yes 3 81 Ed Simonini Linebacker Texas A&M yes 3 90 Ron Lee Running back West Virginia yes 5 134 Sanders Shiver Linebacker Carson–Newman yes 5 143 Mike Kirkland Quarterback Arkansas Played for Colts in 1978 8 228 Ricky Thompson Wide receiver Baylor yes 9 258 Stu Levenick Tackle Illinois 10 283 Tim Baylor Defensive back Morgan State yes 11 310 Rick Gibney Defensive tackle Georgia Tech 12 340 Frank Stavroff Placekicker Indiana 14 394 Jeremiah Cummings Defensive end Albany State 15 424 Gary Alexander Tackle Clemson 16 449 Mike Fuhrman Tight end Memphis State 16 451 Steve Ludwig Center Miami (FL) no nohttps://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/clt/1976_draft.htm 1976 Baltimore Colts Draftees Pro Football Reference January 17, 2022 Personnel Staff 1976 Baltimore Colts staff Front office President and treasurer – Robert Irsay General manager – Joe Thomas Assistant general manager – Ernie Accorsi Coaching staff Head coach – Ted Marchibroda Offensive coaches Receivers – Pete McCulley Offensive line – Whitey Dovell Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator/linebackers – Maxie Baughan Defensive line – Jerry Smith Defensive backfield – Frank Lauterbur Special teams coaches Special teams – George Boutselis Final roster 1976 Baltimore Colts  7 Bert Jones 15 Mike Kirkland American football y 12 Bill Troup 48 Roosevelt Leaks 34 Ron Lee American football y 23 Don McCauley 26 Lydell Mitchell 27 Howard Stevens 81 Roger Carr 35 Glenn Doughty 86 Freddie Scott American football, born 1952 88 Ricky Thompson y 87 Raymond Chester 85 Jimmie Kennedy 50 Forrest Blue C 66 Elmer Collett G 62 Ken Huff G 75 George Kunz T 57 Ken Mendenhall C 61 Robert Pratt American football G 64 David Taylor American football T 67 Bob Van Duyne T 63 Mike Barnes American football, born 1950 DT 72 Fred Cook American football DE 78 John Dutton defensive lineman DE 76 Joe Ehrmann DT 73 Ron Fernandes DE 74 Ken Novak y DT 59 Jim Cheyunski MLB 55 Dan Dickel OLB 58 Derrel Luce OLB 54 Sanders Shiver y OLB 56 Ed Simonini y MLB 53 Stan White linebacker OLB 47 Tim Baylor y FS 33 Randy Hall American football SS 40 Bruce Laird American football SS 42 Lloyd Mumphord CB 25 Ray Oldham CB 46 Bryant Salter FS 20 Jackie Wallace FS 49 David Lee punter P  2 Toni Linhart K 29 Marshall Johnson WR IR 52 Tom MacLeod OLB IR 31 Nelson Munsey CB IR 30 Doug Nettles CB IR Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance 1 July 31 at Cleveland Browns W 21–0 1–0 Memorial Stadium (Lincoln) 20,304 2 August 6 Washington Redskins W 20–3 2–0 Memorial Stadium 35,575 3 August 14 at Chicago Bears L 14–25 2–1 Soldier Field 54,338 4 August 20 New Orleans Saints L 20–26 (OT) 2–2 Memorial Stadium 38,879 5 August 28 at Atlanta Falcons L 7–21 2–3 Atlanta Stadium 24,986 6 September 2 at Detroit Lions L 9–24 2–4 Pontiac Metropolitan Stadium 54,217 Regular season 1976 NFL season Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap 1 September 12 at New England Patriots W 27–13 1–0 Schaefer Stadium 43,512 Link 2 September 19 Cincinnati Bengals W 28–27 2–0 Memorial Stadium 50,374 Link 3 September 26 at Dallas Cowboys L 27–30 2–1 Texas Stadium 64,237 Link 4 October 3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 42–17 3–1 Memorial Stadium 40,053 Link 5 October 10 Miami Dolphins W 28–14 4–1 Memorial Stadium 58,832 Link 6 October 17 at Buffalo Bills W 31–13 5–1 Rich Stadium 71,009 Link 7 October 24 at New York Jets W 20–0 6–1 Shea Stadium 59,576 Link 8 November 1, 1976 Houston Oilers W 38–14 7–1 Memorial Stadium 60,020 Link 9 November 7 at San Diego Chargers W 37–21 8–1 San Diego Stadium 42,827 Link 10 November 14 New England Patriots L 14–21 8–2 Memorial Stadium 58,226 Link 11 November 22, 1976 at Miami Dolphins W 17–16 9–2 Miami Orange Bowl 62,104 Link 12 November 28 New York Jets W 33–16 10–2 Memorial Stadium 44,023 Link 13 December 4, 1976 at St. Louis Cardinals L 17–24 10–3 Busch Memorial Stadium 48,282 Link 14 December 12 Buffalo Bills W 58–20 11–3 Memorial Stadium 50,451 Link Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. Standings Postseason 1976–77 NFL playoffs The team returned to the playoffs as a No. 2 seed and hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers in the divisional round. The Colts fell behind 26–7 at the half, and lost 40–14.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TggqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=PikEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4657%2C6900226 Milwaukee Journal press dispatches Pittsburgh's easy victory averts tragedy December 20, 1976 13, part 2 This game is better remembered for the post-game crash of a private plane into an unoccupied section of Memorial Stadium.https://www.si.com/vault/issue/41219/47 Sports Illustrated A year in sports (photo) February 17, 1977 47https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=yO5XAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JOgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4745%2C6047602 Eugene Register-Guard Oregon UPI Rout was a blessing when plane crashed December 20, 1976 1Bhttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TggqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=PikEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6651%2C6901360 Milwaukee Journal (Washington Star Service) Touch Down December 20, 1976 13, part 2https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GS1PAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VwIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4721%2C5429461 Toledo Blade Ohio Associated Press Small plane crashes into stand minutes after 60,000 leave December 20, 1976 1 Round Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap Divisional December 19 Pittsburgh Steelers (3) L 14–40 0–1 Memorial Stadium 60,020 Link See also History of the Indianapolis Colts Indianapolis Colts seasons Colts–Patriots rivalry References 2 Baltimore Colts Category:Baltimore Colts seasons Category:AFC East championship seasons Baltimore Colts