Top 30 NFL players not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame

22. LB Mike Curtis

A tale of a professional football player tackling a fan who wandered onto the field seems more like something for a motion picture comedy. Of course, it has happened on more than one occasion. Arguably, the most infamous of these incidents came in 1971 at Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium, when Colts’ middle linebacker Mike Curtis simply tackled the man with the football.

Another player who was selected in both the NFL (Colts) and AFL (Chiefs) draft, the former Duke University product began his NFL career at fullback but made the move to linebacker. He came into his own in his fourth season in 1968, when he started all 14 games and the team wound up in Super Bowl III.

Curtis was named All-Pro that year and earned the first of what would be four Pro Bowl invitations. Two years later, the Colts would upend the Cowboys in Super Bowl V. He finished with six tackles and his interception late in the fourth quarter set up teammate Jim O’Brien’s game-winning 32-yard field goal.

The relentless performer spent 11 seasons with the Colts. In 1976, “Mad Dog” was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the expansion draft. He played one season in the Pacific Northwest and spent his final two NFL campaigns in Washington.

The intense defender racked up 25 interceptions and nine fumble recoveries, and was credited with 22.5 sacks. Curtis returned three of those 34 takeaways for scores.