1969 Baltimore Colts season

The 1969 Baltimore Colts season was the 17th season for the team in the National Football League. The Colts finished the National Football League's 1969 season with a record of 8 wins, 5 losses and 1 tie. Led by seventh-year head coach Don Shula, Baltimore finished second in the Western Conference's Coastal division, well behind the Los Angeles Rams (11–3).

Many attributed the disappointing season to the hangover of losing to the heavy-underdog New York Jets in Super Bowl III in January 1969. It is one of the first instances of a Super Bowl hangover – in which the team that played in a Super Bowl the previous season underperforms in the next season.

A disappointing 20–17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in week 9 dropped the Colts to a 5–4 record and put the Colts four full games behind the unbeaten Los Angeles Rams in the division. After the defeat head coach Shula declared, "It looks like we are out of it. I'm disappointed that we went without giving them [the Rams] a battle for it."

In February 1970, two months after the season, Shula departed for the Miami Dolphins.

Personnel

Staff/coaches

1969 Baltimore Colts staff
Front office Owner/president and treasurer – Carroll Rosenbloom General manager – Harry Hulmes Coaching staff Head coach – Don Shula Offensive coaches Receivers/offensive ends – Dick Bielski Offensive backs – Don McCafferty Offensive line coach – John Sandusky		Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator/defensive line – Bill Arnsparger Defensive backfield – Bobby Boyd Linebackers coach – Don Shula

Regular season

Schedule

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1	September 21	Los Angeles Rams	L 20–27	0–1	Memorial Stadium	56,864	Recap
2	September 28	at Minnesota Vikings	L 14–52	0–2	Metropolitan Stadium	47,644	Recap
3	October 5	at Atlanta Falcons	W 21–14	1–2	Grant Field	57,806	Recap
4	Template:Dow tooltip	Philadelphia Eagles	W 24–20	2–2	Memorial Stadium	56,864	Recap
5	October 19	at New Orleans Saints	W 30–10	3–2	Tulane Stadium	80,636	Recap
6	October 26	San Francisco 49ers	L 21–24	3–3	Memorial Stadium	60,238	Recap
7	November 2	Washington Redskins	W 41–17	4–3	Memorial Stadium	60,238	Recap
8	November 9	Green Bay Packers	W 14–6	5–3	Memorial Stadium	60,238	Recap
9	November 16	at San Francisco 49ers	L 17–20	5–4	Kezar Stadium	38,472	Recap
10	November 23	at Chicago Bears	W 24–21	6–4	Wrigley Field	45,455	Recap
11	November 30	Atlanta Falcons	W 13–6	7–4	Memorial Stadium	60,238	Recap
12	December 7	Detroit Lions	T 17–17	7–4–1	Memorial Stadium	60,238	Recap
13	Template:Dow tooltip	at Dallas Cowboys	L 10–27	7–5–1	Cotton Bowl	63,191	Recap
14	December 21	at Los Angeles Rams	W 13–7	8–5–1	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	73,326	Recap
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Season summary

Week 1 vs Rams

Week One: Los Angeles Rams (0–0) at Baltimore Colts (0–0)

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Rams	3	7	10	7	27
Colts	0	10	7	3	20

at Memorial Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland

• Date: September 21
• Game weather: , relative humidity 64%, wind
• Game attendance: 56,864
• Referee: Tommy Bell

Game information

First quarter LA – Bruce Gossett 29-yard field goal. Rams 3–0. Drive: Second quarter BAL – Tom Mitchell 13-yard pass from Johnny Unitas (Lou Michaels kick). Colts 7–3. Drive: LA – Billy Truax 4-yard pass from Roman Gabriel (Bruce Gossett kick). Rams 10–7. Drive: BAL – Lou Michaels 15-yard field goal. Tie 10–10. Drive: Third quarter BAL – Jimmy Orr 41-yard pass from Johnny Unitas (Lou Michaels kick). Colts 17–10. Drive: LA – Willie Ellison 14-yard pass from Roman Gabriel (Bruce Gossett kick). Tie 17–17. Drive: LA – Bruce Gossett 15-yard field goal. Rams 20–17. Drive: Fourth quarter LA – Wendell Tucker 16-yard pass from Roman Gabriel (Bruce Gossett kick). Rams 27–17. Drive: BAL – Lou Michaels 41-yard field goal. Rams 27–20. Drive: Top passers LA – Roman Gabriel – 20/33, 268 yards, 3 TD BAL – Johnny Unitas – 20/42, 297 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT Top rushers LA – Larry Smith – 10 rushes, 73 yards BAL – Preston Pearson – 11 rushes, 43 yards Top receivers LA – Wendell Tucker – 6 receptions, 90 yards, TD BAL – Jimmy Orr – 5 receptions, 87 yards, TD

Week 6 vs 49ers

Week Six: San Francisco 49ers (0–4–1) at Baltimore Colts (3–2)

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
49ers	0	10	14	0	24
Colts	0	7	7	7	21

at Memorial Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland

• Date: October 26, 1969
• Game weather: , relative humidity 49%, wind
• Referee: Jack Vest

Game information

First quarter No scoring plays Second quarter SF — Tommy Davis 18-yard field goal. 49ers 3–0 BAL — Tom Matte 11-yard pass from Johnny Unitas (Lou Michaels kick). Colts 7–3 SF — Ken Willard 5-yard rush (Tommy Davis kick). 49ers 10–7 Third quarter SF — Dick Witcher 18-yard pass from Steve Spurrier (Tommy Davis kick). 49ers 17–7 SF — John Woitt 57-yard interception return (Tommy Davis kick). 49ers 24–7 BAL — Jimmy Orr 6 yard pass from Johnny Unitas (Lou Michaels kick). 49ers 24–14 Fourth quarter BAL — Tom Matte 1 yard rush (Lou Michaels kick). 49ers 24–21 Top passers SF — Steve Spurrier – 18/30, 205 yards, TD, INT BAL — Johnny Unitas – 19/37, 300 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT Top rushers SF — Doug Cunningham – 13 rushes, 51 yards BAL — Tom Matte – 17 rushes, 81 yards, TD Top receivers SF — Dick Witcher – 3 receptions, 54 yards, TD BAL — Jimmy Orr – 8 receptions, 146 yards, TD

This would be the last time the 49ers would visit the Colts until 1989, by when Robert Irsay had moved the franchise to Indianapolis. The 49ers would next play in Baltimore when meeting the Ravens in 2003.

See also

• History of the Indianapolis Colts
• Indianapolis Colts seasons
• Colts–Patriots rivalry