TSC Interviews: Indianapolis Colts Legend Chris Hinton

Chris Hinton went from offensive line to fine wine. A vastly different career path from his previous one.

Hinton played 13 season in the NFL for the Indianapolis Colts (1983-1989), Atlanta Falcons (1990-1993), and Minnesota Vikings (1994-1995). Originally drafted fourth overall in the 1983 NFL Draft, Hinton was traded by the Denver Broncos for some guy named John Elway.

While his teams may not have been the greatest to put it nicely, Hinton did amass a great body of work as showcased by his seven Pro Bowl selections and tremendous reliability.

Some former players find it hard to move on after their time to shine on the gridiron is over. Hinton did not have that problem, creating Hinton's Wine Store, out of Atlanta, GA. Oh by the way, it's 6,400 sq. feet. Just your average family business, right?

Wrong.

Hinton is the go to guy for wine in the ATL, let alone on the East Coast. He must have been compensated well during his NFL tenure, but he could not call himself his own man. His own brand.

Today, the former Northwestern standout is his own boss and most importantly, a self made man turned entrepreneur.

I had a chance to speak with Chris for a few minutes on his career and Super Bowl XLIV. I wonder who he's rooting for? Click HERE to download the podcast or feel free to scroll down and read the transcript.

TSC: How ya doing, Chris?

Hinton: Awesome. Gearing up for the Colts to win their third Super Bowl.

TSC: So Chris, before we get to the Super Bowl and your pick, let's reflect at your career. You were a guard/tackle on the offensive line your whole career. You went to Northwestern, when other big time college athletes have gone to USC, The U, Notre Dame, and so on. Why Northwestern?

Hinton: A couple reasons. I'm from Chicago. I'm a Midwestern guy. I wanted to play in the Big Ten conference. I was recruited by pretty much everybody in the Big Ten, but I chose Northwestern for the education. Early on I realized that football wasn't going to be forever and actually was a lot longer that I thought it would be. Education was important to me.

TSC: Understood. Did you play any other sports growing up?

Hinton: In high school I played basketball and shot-put in addition to football.

TSC: Your initial feeling when you landed in Indianapolis (then-Baltimore, but would move soon after) after the 1983 NFL Draft?

Hinton: Mixed emotions. I was initially drafted by the Denver Broncos and weeks after, I was traded to the Colts. I was still excited about the fact I was the fourth player chosen overall, but I was a little disappointed that I got a quick introduction to the NFL and that it was definitely business. Nothing personal.

TSC: You had a long and successful career in the NFL. When did it start clicking for you?

Hinton: I was very blessed and in a good situation, where in my rookie season I made the Pro Bowl. So very early on I had some individual success. With the God given ability and some good running backs behind me, I had a good year. It all clicked pretty quickly.

TSC: If you could pick one career highlight/defining moment in your career, what would it be?

Hinton: Wow that's a tough one. I think it was in 1987. We were playing a Monday Night Football game against John Elway [the player he was traded for] and the Denver Broncos. We beat them pretty bad. I'll always remember that game because it was the first Monday Night game in Indianapolis I believe. Running back Eric Dickerson could have ran for 300 yards had he stayed in the game. That was some game. I have a lot of memories of that game.

[Editor's Note: It must have felt good for Hinton to gain some revenge over the team that drafted—and traded him years before.]

TSC:: You had a great career. You retired in 1995 and opened up a winery just outside of Atlanta, Georgia. How did you go...

Hinton: From offensive line to fine wine...

TSC: Exactly.

Hinton: I always had a passion for fine dining and along with that comes wine. I started to learn as much about wine as I could, so I'd know what to order every time I went out. And it just grew from there. When I finished playing, the big thing I wanted to do was to try and turn one of my passions into a vocation. What I wanted to do was wine and I felt that there was a good need for wine in the part of town where I lived. And many years later, that's what I'm doing and where I'm at.

TSC: What do you think about these current Indianapolis Colts? Obviously, they have had quite a bit of success over the last decade. Do you wish you could play with Peyton Manning?

Hinton: Yeah, I mean as an offensive lineman, you'd love to play for a guy like that. He doesn't take a lot of hits or sacks, other than last week [against the New York Jets]. He makes great decisions and is good at getting rid of the football. He makes the offensive line's job easier. There's no question about it.

TSC: How much differently do you think your career would have turned out had you stayed with the Denver Broncos?

Hinton: Individually, I think I would have had comparable success. (Pauses). I have no idea.

TSC: That's a good enough answer. You were a seven time Pro Bowler back in your day. You had a stellar career. Do you feel like you belong in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

Hinton: Yeah, I do because not only did I make the Pro Bowl seven times, but I did things nobody ever did before. I was the first rookie offensive lineman to make the Pro Bowl. I was the first player to make the Pro Bowl in three different positions. I made it in left guard, right tackle, and left tackle. I made it All-Pro one year at right guard. I accomplished some things that nobody else had done. I think I definitely deserve to be there. I did it on some teams that were not very good.

TSC: Do you feel like those teams worked against your case? Or the anonymous position of being on the offensive line?

Hinton: A little bit of both. There's no real statistics for offensive linemen other than Pro Bowls. That and the fact that I played on a lot of teams that didn't have winning seasons. And that works against you when it should work for you to accomplish what I did—especially as an offensive lineman. You know, such as Pro Bowl selections on teams that didn't do well.

TSC: You're certainly doing well for yourself outside of football too (laughs). We all know who you're going to be rooting for in Super Bowl XLIV. I'll let you finish this statement. The Indianapolis Colts will defeat the New Orleans Saints if....

Hinton: If we can contain the New Orleans offense and give up no turnovers.

TSC: Do you fear the New Orleans defense or do you feel they're as soft as some analysts say they are?

Hinton: Actually, I was a little more nervous about the New York Jets defense against the Colts. I think the Jets defense is better. Overall, I think it's going to be a good game. There's going to be a lot of points scored. Hopefully, we come out on top.

TSC: If you could give any advice to an up-and-comer in football or someone about to leave the game to start a new chapter in their life—what would it be?

Hinton: It would be the same advice that was given to me. Try to turn a passion or hobby into a job and you'll never look at it as a job.

For more information on Chris Hinton, visit Hinton's Wine Store.

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