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."Cameron C. Snyder, "Shula Thinks Colts are Out of It," Baltimore Sun, Nov. 17, 1969, p. 27.
In February 1970, two months after the season, Shula departed for the Miami Dolphins.
NFL/AFL draft
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
Roster
Regular season
Schedule
Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap 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 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 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 6 vs 49ers
The loss ended the Colts 13-game winning streak against the 49ers, losing to them for the first time since the 1962 season. 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.
Standings
See also History of the Indianapolis Colts Indianapolis Colts seasons Colts–Patriots rivalry
References
External links 1969 Baltimore Colts at Pro-Football-Reference.com 1969 Baltimore Colts at JT-SW.com