Miami Dolphins history: The best trade with the Colts
By Brian Miller
Through the long history of the Miami Dolphins, one trade stands out with the Colts.
Earlier today we looked at the “trade” between the Miami Dolphins and the Colts for Don Shula but now we are going to look at the best trade Miami made for players, with the Colts.
The first trade that made a positive impact between the two clubs came back in 1973 when Don Shula sent RB Hubert Ginn to the Colts for FB Don Nottingham and a sixth-round draft pick. Nottingham was known as a “human bowling ball” in Baltimore. A tough as nails fullback who would roll over defenders. The Colts had another FB on the roster they believed would develop and felt Nottingham, a popular player for the Colts, was sliding in production.
Hubert Ginn was a reliable depth running back who has been with Miami since 1970, his first year in the NFL but Ginn was stuck behind the trio of runners Miami had in Larry Csonka, Jim Kiick, and Mercury Morris. The Colts needed a running back and the trade made a ton of sense for both sides.
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Nottingham would spend 4 1/2 seasons with Miami and would become more valuable after Larry Csonka and company left for the WFL in 1974. As for Ginn, he spent half a season with the Colts and came back to Miami the following year. He would eventually be part of another trade to the Rams.
Miami would use the 6th round pick on DT/DE Randy Crowder who would spend three seasons with Miami and three with Tampa Bay. An interesting note to this? The Miami Dolphins would draft Randy Crowder’s son Channing under Nick Saban and Channing Crowder would spend his entire NFL career with the Dolphins. While it would make an interesting story, Hubert Ginn is not related to Ted Ginn, Jr. That we know of.