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Few coaches were as important to the sustained success of the Indianapolis Colts as Tom Moore. He's deserves as much credit for Indianapolis' impressive record from 1998-2010 (including two Super Bowl appearances and one victory in Super Bowl XLIV) as Tony Dungy. Without Moore, there is likely no four-time MVP Peyton Manning. Without Moore, there is likely no Super Bowl.
This is why Moore's name is on the Colts Ring of Honor at Lucas Oil Stadium. As fans, it's out job to recognize people like Moore whenever we can. This Sunday, Moore will return to Lucas Oil as a consultant for the Tennessee Titans.
Interesting side note on Moore, he was apparently hired as offensive coordinator of the Colts in 1998 at the behest of Bruce Arians, who was then the Colts quarterback coach. Arians is now the Colts OC and interim head coach. Arians discussed his long-time relationship with Moore, going back to the days when the two coached together in Indy:
Tom is a lifer. Man, I love him. I saw him at Jacksonville he was chomping at the bit to coach again. He said, I'm gonna get back out there. I didn't know it would be that soon. I'm really happy for him because I didn't know it would be that soon.
Moore left the Colts in 2010, but has spent some time consulting with the New York Jets and the University of Alabama as a consultant.
On Wednesday, Arians talked about how the Colts hired Moore in 1998:
I was actually hired before he was. I recommended Tom.
When a follow-up question was asked about how much clout Arians had back then, he chuckled and responded:
Not much. I got him [Tom] interview, and he did the rest.
And the rest, they say, is history.
It's kind of cool how, in many ways, Arians has taken over the offensive legacy of Coach Moore. I wonder if it's possible to bring Moore back as another consultant, working with Arians and Andrew Luck. Luck and Moore know each other from this past summer when Moore worked with Luck prior to the 2012 NFL Draft. Whether this happens or not going forward, Tom Moore is still awesome, and he will always be a Colts in my eyes.
Photo credit: Ronald Martinez, Getty Images