Mike curtis, fierce linebacker for colts, dies at 77

He was Curtis died Monday in St. Petersburg, Florida. Ferocious on the field, a gentleman off the field," Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay wrote on Twitter. Curtis was selected 14th overall in the draft by the Colts after starring as a fullback at Duke University. He started out with Baltimore as a fullback but rose to stardom in his second season when he played linebacker on full time.

› D.C., Md. & Va.

Curtis was a four-time Pro Bowl linebacker. He had his best season in , when he intercepted five passes for the Colts. Then, in the Super Bowl against Dallas, he picked off a pass in the waning minutes to set up a winning field goal by Jim O'Brien. The following year, Curtis delivered what some believe to be his most memorable hit. When an intoxicated fan ran onto the field and snatched the football between plays in a game against the Dolphins on Dec.

Born in Washington, D. He was a strong man, both physically and mentally, and he had a fierce work ethic," Clay Curtis wrote on Twitter. Curtis played with the Colts through the season. He played only six games that year because of a knee injury, and Baltimore subsequently left him unprotected in the NFL expansion draft. The Seattle Seahawks snagged him, and Curtis became a co-captain for the new franchise.