<
        >

          NFL Nation

          Tom Matte, an emergency QB 55 years ago, writes and relates to Broncos' Kendall Hinton

          • Jeff Legwold, ESPN Senior WriterDec 3, 2020, 11:01 PM
            Close
              Jeff Legwold is a senior writer who covers the Denver Broncos and the NFL at ESPN. Jeff has covered the Broncos for more than 20 years, joining ESPN in 2013. He also assists with NFL draft coverage, including his annual top 100 prospects. Jeff has been a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Board of Selectors since 1999. He has attended every scouting combine since 1987.
            Follow on X

          ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Running back Tom Matte, who was the league's first "emergency" quarterback in the game's modern era, sent a letter to Denver Broncos practice squad wide receiver Kendall Hinton after Hinton played 24 snaps at quarterback Sunday for the Broncos on less than 24 hours notice.

          Matte, who played for the Colts from 1961 to 1972, played three games at quarterback in the 1965 season after both Johnny Unitas and Gary Cuozzo had suffered injuries. Matte had been an All American run-first quarterback at Ohio State, but moved to running back full-time when the Colts, with Unitas, selected him in the first round of the 1961 draft.

          Matte is believed to be the first player to have worn a wristband in an NFL game. He said in the letter to Hinton his wife wrote plays on the wristband to help him remember them.

          Matte also played for Don Shula, whose son, Mike, is the Broncos' quarterbacks coach. Shula was the on the Denver sideline and worked with Hinton between offensive series.

          Matte wrote in a two-page letter to Hinton, "Fifty-five years ago I was in your shoes ... and believe me it was an experience I'll never forget."

          Matte wrote brief accounts of each of his three games behind center and closed the letter with "I'm proud of how you stepped up for your teammates, particularly in what was an impossible situation in difficult circumstances. Decades from now, I hope you'll look back with pride on your experience -- you'll have quite a story to tell your grandchildren!"

          Hinton, whom Broncos offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur said was playing as a scout team defensive back in Saturday's practice, was forced into action when Drew Lock, Brett Rypien and Blake Bortles, who is on the team's practice squad, were all pulled off the practice field Saturday and then ruled out of Sunday's game due to COVID-19 protocols.

          It was indeed "an impossible situation" as Matte wrote to Hinton, who completed 1 of 9 passes for 13 yards. The Broncos had 112 yards worth of offense in a 31-3 loss to the New Orleans Saints. Hinton's first pass attempt of that game was his first since 2018 when he was at Wake Forest.