Mike Curtis, hard-hitting linebacker for Baltimore Colts, dies at 77
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Version 0 of 1. Mike Curtis, a hard-hitting, no-nonsense linebacker who helped the Colts win a Super Bowl during a 14-year NFL career spent predominantly in Baltimore, died April 20 in St. Petersburg, Fla. He was 77. The cause was complications from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the degenerative brain disease linked to repeated blows to the head, his son Clay Curtis said on Twitter. Mr. Curtis earned the nickname “Mad Dog” because of his fierce play in the middle of a strong Baltimore defense. He was selected 14th overall in the 1965 draft by the Colts after starring as a fullback at Duke University. He started out with Baltimore as a fullback but rose to stardom in his second season when he switched to linebacker. A four-time Pro Bowl player, Mr. Curtis had his best season in 1970, when he intercepted five passes for the Colts. Then, in Super Bowl V against Dallas, he picked off a pass in the waning minutes to set up a winning field goal by Jim O’Brien. The following year, Mr. Curtis delivered what some believe to be his most memorable hit. When an intoxicated fan ran onto the field in Baltimore and snatched the football between plays in a game against the Dolphins on Dec. 11, 1971, Mr. Curtis applied a jolting hit that sent the interloper onto the turf of Memorial Stadium. “The way I see it, he was invading my place of business,” Mr. Curtis said. James Michael Curtis was born in Washington on March 27, 1943, and grew up in Rockville, Md., where he graduated from Richard Montgomery High School. He played with the Colts through the 1975 season. He played only six games that year because of a knee injury, and Baltimore subsequently left him unprotected in the 1976 NFL expansion draft. The Seattle Seahawks snagged him, and Mr. Curtis became a co-captain for the new franchise. He finished his career with the Washington Redskins in 1977 and 1978. He played in 166 NFL games, including 131 starts. He had 25 interceptions and scored two touchdowns. After his football career, Mr. Curtis worked in real estate in the Washington area. A complete list of survivors was not immediately available. Read more Washington Post obituaries |