30 Picks in 30 Days - Day #4 - 1983 First Round Pick - OL Chris Hinton

by John Bena on Mar 30, 2009 10:30 AM MDT in 2009 NFL Draft Comment 9 comments

The 1983 Draft. Just say the words and quarterbacks come to mind. No less than six quarterbacks were drafted in the first round, including John Elway #1 overall. Of course we all know the story of Elway, who warned the Baltimore Colts before the draft that he would play baseball if they selected him. It wasn't a popular tactic then, any more than Eli Manning making his wishes known that he had no desire to play in San Diego.

Elway eventually ended up in Denver, as everyone on planet earth knows, but many Broncos fans know little of a major piece of the trade used to get #7 - OL Chris Hinton. The Broncos drafted Hinton with the 4th overall pick then traded his rights as part of a package for Elway. Most use Hinton as a punch line in the Elway trade but that does an incredible disservice to a player that went on to have a very good career, both for the Colts and Atlanta Falcons.

Hinton went to 7 Pro Bowls, six as a member of the Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts, and was the first player elected to the Colts Ring of Fame after their move to Indy. He went to another Pro Bowl as a member of the Atlanta Falcons before finishing his career as a member of the Minnesota Vikings. All told, Hinton spent 13-years in the National Football League and started 172 games. Not bad for a punchline.

Now, Hinton has taken the passion he had for football and turned it towards wine. Hinton owns and operates a huge wine store in Georgia, a passion that started while he was still in the NFL. Hinton spends 55-hour weeks patrolling the floor and dispensing advice on what goes well with what. He leads well-attended tastings in his adjoining bar, Bin 75, named for his number in the NFL. He has even made a few trips to France for research. "Being able to tell a wine's story -- that's romantic," Hinton explains. Further proof of his commitment lies in the new $40,000 toy in his bar: a 24-bottle Enomatic dispenser that can auto-pour a glass of wine with the swipe of a credit card. "It's the only one in Georgia," he says, beaming.

Yes, Chris Hinton will always be known as "the guy traded for John Elway". But Hinton was also one helluva football player and not the punchline many believe him to be.

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I'm thirsty.

Verbose in style, dispersion of thought, procrastination in life.

by Tim Lynch on Mar 30, 2009 10:48 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Great piece!

Thanks for this, I agree Hinton had an underrated career, especially underrated by we Broncos fans who understandably focus on that guy we got back. But he was a great player. Had no idea about the wine business, either. From moving his feet sideways to… Sideways.

by underdog on Mar 30, 2009 11:01 AM MDT reply actions 1 recs

The 1983 draft was pretty amazing

. Baltimore – John Elway, QB Stanford
2. L.A. Rams – Eric Dickerson, RB Southern Methodist
3. Seattle – Curt Warner, RB Penn State
4. Denver – Chris Hinton, T Northwestern
5. San Diego – Billy Ray Smith, OLB Arkansas
6. Chicago – Jimbo Covert, T Pittsburgh
9. Houston – Bruce Matthews, G Southern California
14. Buffalo – Jim Kelly, QB Miami
18. Chicago – Willie Gault, WR Tennessee
19. Minnesota – Joey Browner, S Southern California
20. San Diego – Gary Anderson, RB Arkansas
22. San Diego – Gill Byrd, CB San Jose State
23. Dallas – Jim Jeffcoat, DE Arizona State
24. N.Y. Jets – Ken O’Brien, QB Cal-Davis
25. Cincinnati – Dave Rimington, C Nebraska
26. L.A. Raiders – Don Mosebar, C Southern California
27. Miami – Dan Marino, QB Pittsburgh
28. Washington – Darrell Green, CB Texas A&M-Kingsville

Round 2
29. Baltimore – Vernon Maxwell, OLB Arizona State
32. L.A. Rams – Henry Ellard, WR Fresno State
39. Buffalo – Darryl Talley, OLB West Virginia
42. Houston – Keith Bostic, DB Michigan
49. San Francisco – Roger Craig, RB Nebraska

Round 3

61. Kansas City – Albert Lewis, CB Grambling
64. Chicago – Dave Duerson, S Notre Dame
84. Washington – Charles Mann, DE Nevada

Round 4

91. Chicago – Tom Thayer, G Notre Dame
93. Buffalo – Trey Junkin, TE Louisiana Tech
97. L.A. Rams – Vince Newsome, S Washington
103. St. Louis – Lionel Washington, CB Tulane
110. L.A. Raiders – Greg Townsend, DE Texas Christian

Round 5
117. San Francisco – Riki Ellison, MLB Southern California

Round 6
165. Cincinnati – Larry Kinnebrew, RB Tennessee State

Round 7

Round 8
197. Denver – Gary Kubiak, QB Texas A&M
203. Chicago – Richard Dent, DE Tennessee State
204. Kansas City – Irv Eatman, T UCLA
223. Miami – Mark Clayton, WR Louisville

Round 9
229. San Francisco – Mike Mularkey, TE Florida
248. Cincinnati – Stanley Wilson, RB Oklahoma

Round 10
276. Cincinnati – Tim Krumrie, NT Wisconsin

Round 11
289. San Francisco – Jesse Sapolu, C Hawaii

Round 12
310. Denver – Karl Mecklenburg, ILB Minnesota

"Me fail english, that unpossible" - Ralph Wiggum
"Duffman is thrusting in the direction of the problem" - Duffman
"Good, bad, I'm the one with the gun, A-hole" - Ash from Army of Darkness

by Broncoman on Mar 30, 2009 11:48 AM MDT reply actions 1 recs

Funny to remember

that the Broncs got Elway and also drafted Kubiak in the same draft, Kube then becoming the future hall of famer’s long time, and very reliable, backup.]

Also, yeah, wow, what a draft. 1st round so rich with fantastic players and then a bunch more to come.

by underdog on Mar 30, 2009 3:23 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks Guru

This series is amazing, I’m really enjoying reading about the history of the bronco’s. Thanks again.

One thing I know for sure - I'm usually wrong.

by Oz bronco on Mar 30, 2009 11:52 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Interesting...

The flip side of a trade that I really had very little knowlege of. Well done.

by DBronx777 on Mar 30, 2009 12:27 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

search it on MHR...I know I wrote about it and so did others last year and in previous years.

lots of informative stuff on this website. :)

Verbose in style, dispersion of thought, procrastination in life.

by Tim Lynch on Mar 30, 2009 12:39 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nice tale

Good to hear that Hinton is doing well. I was aware that he turned out to be special in the NFL, but didn’t know what he was up to since.

Growing older is not for sissies. Jack Palance

by bradley on Mar 30, 2009 8:14 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Hintin Vintnin'

Only makes sense! He and Vermeil should hook up. I wonder how many other ex-NFLers the vineyards have claimed? It’s a nice thought, given the parade of grizzled old vets we recently saw scratching for benefits, fighting a losing battle against their old battered physiques, having given all of their best years to this violent game we love.

"HE'S OUR QUARTERBACK." -- Josh McDaniels

by broncosmontana on Mar 30, 2009 8:39 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs