Tarik Glenn Headed to Colts Ring of Honor
Good things come to those who wait. The saying could not be more true for this former Colt.
On Tuesday, the Indianapolis Colts announced that former Pro Bowl left tackle Tarik Glenn will be inducted into the Colts Ring of Honor during the 2022 season. The game in which Glenn will be inducted will be announced after the NFL schedule is released in May.
“We’re really excited about Tarik Glenn going into the Ring of Honor,” Colts owner Jim Irsay said via a press release Tuesday. “He’s so deserving. I spoke with Tarik and he’s so excited. I know how much our fans love him. That’s great news because he’s a special guy.”
Glenn was drafted by the Colts with the 19th overall pick in the 1997 NFL Draft out of the University of California. Glenn started all 16 games of his rookie season at right guard but was moved to left tackle in 1998 after the Colts drafted Peyton Manning to be the next franchise quarterback. The late, great Howard Mudd – the Colts’ offensive line coach at the time and throughout their dominant run during the 2000s – believed in the young offensive lineman’s potential and ability to be great.
Glenn would go on to protect Manning’s blindside for the next nine years and become one of The Sheriff’s most trusted teammates. He fended off the best pass rushers the NFL had to offer as they so desperately wanted to negatively affect the face of the league. Glenn would serve as Manning’s bodyguard through their Super Bowl XLI victory together in 2007.
At 6’5” and 332 pounds, Glenn was an impenetrable wall on the left side of the line. Whether it was opening up holes for running backs Edgerrin James and Marshall Faulk, or fending off pass rushers as Manning threw to Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne, the Colts never had to worry about Glenn. He was a consummate professional who continued to get better as his career went along.
“Tarik kept 18 clean,” Wayne said to The Athletic’s Zak Keefer last year. “The O-line never got its due. I think he should be in (the Ring of Honor) … I always lined up with him on the left side, and we took pride in making sure that side was secure.”
© Jason Parkhurst-USA TODAY Sports
Glenn was also incredibly durable. He started 154 regular season games in his career, including 101 straight, and did not miss a start in nine of his ten seasons. He also started all 13 playoff games he was eligible for, continuing his impressive run of dependability.
Through the latter years of his career, Glenn began to receive the recognition he deserved as the Colts became a dominant force in the league. Glenn was selected to three Pro Bowls from 2004-2006, the last three years he suited up in the NFL. The behemoth left tackle decided to hang up his cleats after the Colts’ Super Bowl victory while he was only 31 years old and still at the top of his game.
In retirement, Glenn has devoted himself to the foundation that he started during his playing days. DREAM Alive is dedicated to assisting underprivileged students find various careers after they have graduated high school and college. While Glenn is no longer involved with the day-to-day operations of the foundation, he remains president emeritus and DREAM Alive continues to grow, helping more kids each year.
Glenn will finally be taking his rightful place alongside his former teammates in the Ring of Honor. The list of former teammates includes Manning, James, Faulk, Harrison, Wayne, Jeff Saturday, Dwight Freeney, and Robert Mathis, as well as coach Tony Dungy and general manager Bill Polian. Glenn was every bit as important as they were in leading the Colts to 115 wins during the 2000s, the winningest decade in NFL history at the time.
While his induction into the Ring of Honor is well overdue, there is no question it is warranted for #78.
Have thoughts on Tarik Glenn's long overdue induction into the Colts Ring of Honor? Drop a comment below and let us know what you think!
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