1972 Baltimore Colts season

1972 Baltimore Colts season
OwnerRobert Irsay
General managerJoe Thomas
Head coachDon McCafferty (1–4)
John Sandusky (4–5)
(interim)
Home fieldMemorial Stadium
Results
Record5–9
Division place3rd AFC East
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Pro BowlersC Bill Curry
LB Ted Hendricks
KR Bruce Laird

The 1972 Baltimore Colts season was the 20th season for the team in the National Football League. They finished with 5 wins and 9 losses, third in the AFC East.

Robert Irsay, who had recently taken over the Los Angeles Rams, traded ownership of the NFL franchises with Colts' owner Carroll Rosenbloom, with players and coaching staffs remaining intact.[1][2][3] Rosenbloom had previously wanted to move the Colts to Tampa, but was turned down by the league.[4]

However, the Colts were getting older and started 1–4 before third-year head coach Don McCafferty was fired by new general manager Joe Thomas.[5][6][7][8] In their final nine games under interim head coach John Sandusky, Baltimore won four to finish at 5–9,[9] their first losing mark in sixteen seasons. The entire coaching staff was let go after the season concluded.[10][11][12]

  1. ^ "Colts owner trades club for Rams". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. July 14, 1972. p. 1, part 2.[permanent dead link‍]
  2. ^ "Colts' owner now sole owner of Rams". The Bulletin. (Bend, Oregon). UPI. July 14, 1972. p. 12.
  3. ^ Maule, Tex (August 14, 1972). "Nay on the neighs, yea on the baas". Sports Illustrated. p. 67.
  4. ^ Snyder, Cameron C. (February 17, 1976). "Viking Talks in N.Y. Do Not Surprise Thomas". The Baltimore Sun. p. C7.
  5. ^ "Colts pick Sandusky as coach". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. October 17, 1972. p. 2, part 2.[permanent dead link‍]
  6. ^ "Colt players meet secretly on McCafferty dismissal". Milwaukee Journal. press dispatches. October 17, 1972. p. 16, part 2.[permanent dead link‍]
  7. ^ "Curry criticizes McCafferty firing". Free Lance-Star. (Fredericksburg, Virginia). Associated Press. October 17, 1972. p. 6.
  8. ^ "Colts players unhappy; rap coach's firing". Youngstown Vindicator. (Ohio). Associated Press. October 18, 1972. p. 36.
  9. ^ "Miami succeeds, but Morris fails". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. December 17, 1972. p. 2D.
  10. ^ "Thomas fires entire Colt coaching staff". Bangor Daily News. (Maine). UPI. December 21, 1972. p. 26.
  11. ^ "Coach Sandusky ousted by Colts". Nashua Telegraph. (New Hampshire). Associated Press. December 21, 1972. p. 23.
  12. ^ "Mass firing starts Colt housecleaning". Free Lance-Star. (Fredericksburg, Virginia). Associated Press. December 21, 1972. p. 8.