Rick Volk

"Rick Volk has seen both ends of the rainbow in his tenure with the Baltimore Colts. The personable veteran defensive back has known the sweet taste of success, attested by the Super Bowl ring he often wears, and also has survived the agony of defeat — especially after people like Don Shula, John Unitas, Bubba Smith and Tom Matte were no longer wanted or appreciated in the Monumental City."

Volk began working as a manufacturer's representative while still playing football, and continued in that business after retiring from the game. Interviewed in 2009, Volk was selling industrial equipment to steel mills.

In 1989, Volk was inducted into the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor. He joined his uncle, Bob Chappuis, who was inducted into the Hall of Honor five years earlier in 1984. Volk and Ron Johnson, both inducted in 1989, were the first two football players from the 1960s to be inducted into the Hall of Honor.

During the 1978 NFL season, Volk appeared in all 16 games for the Dolphins, 13 of them as a starter. Volk started the season strong, intercepting a pass in the season opener against the New York Jets. In the second game of the season, the Dolphins played the Colts in Baltimore. Volk intercepted two passes against Baltimore quarterback Bill Troup and helped the Dolphins to a 42–0 win. After the game, Volk told reporters, "I wanted to have a good game in Baltimore, and I couldn't have asked for anything better than the way it turned out." While Volk began the 1978 season as a starter, he was replaced by Charlie Babb for the final four games. After the Dolphins lost the AFC wildcard game to the Oilers, Volk announced his retirement. Volk told reporters he had wanted to end his career with a championship team and added, "When the game's over, you can't worry about it. For most of the guys, there'll be another season. For me, this is it."

In October 1977, Volk was selected as a starter on the Colts' 25th anniversary team. The team was selected by the fans in Baltimore, and the only players at any position to receive more votes than Volk were David Lee, Johnny Unitas, Raymond Berry, Alan Ameche, Gino Marchetti, John Mackey, Mike Curtis, Art Donovan, Alex Sandusky, Jim Parker and Bobby Boyd.

Volk was placed on waivers by the Colts in April 1976; he was picked up by the Denver Broncos one week later. With Volk's departure, punter David Lee was the sole remaining player on the Baltimore roster from the 1970 Super Bowl team.

Volk had his best season in 1971 when he was picked as a first-team NFL All-Pro by the Associated Press, Pro Football Writers, and the Newspaper Ent. Association. He remained with Colts for nine years and was one of the last players from the Super Bowl V champions to remain with the team. In 1974, one Maryland sports writer noted that Volk remained a solid performer: "Although the Colts suffered through an overall dismal campaign in 1973, Volk remained one of the few solid performers in an otherwise lackluster season." In June 1975, Volk prepared for his ninth season with the Colts as one columnist wrote:

In 1970, Volk helped lead the Colts to another Super Bowl appearance, but were now representing the AFC following the merger of the two leagues (NFL and AFL) that year. This time, the Colts defeated the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl V. Volk was responsible for covering Pro Football Hall of Famers Bob Hayes and Mike Ditka in the Super Bowl, and he played a key role in the Colts' victory. In the fourth quarter, the Colts trailed the Cowboys 13–6. Volk intercepted a pass by Cowboys quarterback Craig Morton at the Dallas 33-yard line and returned it 30 yards to the 3-yard line to set up the tying touchdown. Baltimore quarterback Earl Morrall later referred to Volk's interception as the play of the game. Interviewed in 2009, Volk cited Super Bowl V as his fondest memory of playing in Baltimore. He recalled team owner Carroll Rosenbloom flying the whole team, families included, to the Bahamas the day after the game: "The next day we all got on the plane and flew over to the Bahamas. He took the whole family – my wife and one kid, at the time. I remember we were on the beach, Tom Mitchell and I, and we got the paper to make sure it was really true - that we did win. Because this was like a dream come true on the sand beaches in the Bahamas."

Volk played as a free safety for twelve seasons in the NFL. He was selected four times as an NFL All-Pro (1968-1971) and played three times in the Pro Bowl (1967, 1969, 1971). Volk also played in the Super Bowl twice for the Baltimore Colts as a member of the Super Bowl III team and the Super Bowl V winning team.

Volk went on to a successful 12-year career as a safety in the National Football League. He played nine years with the Baltimore Colts from 1967 to 1975. He was a member of the Colts' teams that lost Super Bowl III to the New York Jets and won Super Bowl V against the Dallas Cowboys. Volk was selected as an NFL All-Pro four times (1968–1971) and played in three Pro Bowls (1967, 1969, 1971). After being released by the Colts in April 1976, Volk concluded his playing career with the New York Giants in 1976 and the Miami Dolphins from 1977 to 1978. In 1977, Volk was selected by Baltimore fans as a starter for the Colts' 25th anniversary team.

As a senior in 1966, Volk started all 10 games at safety and also started 2 games at fullback, and even started one game as quarterback. At the conclusion of the 1966 season, he was selected as a first-team All-American by the Sporting News. At the conclusion of his college football career at Michigan, the Newspaper Editors Association distributed a feature story on Volk, describing him as follows:

As a junior in 1965, Volk started all 10 games for Michigan at cornerback and also started four games on offense as the left halfback. He was selected by both the Associated Press and the United Press International as a first-team All-Big Ten defensive back at the end of the 1965 season.

Volk played college football for the University of Michigan from 1964 to 1966 and was a member of the 1964 team that won the Big Ten Conference championship and defeated Oregon State in the 1965 Rose Bowl. He played as a defensive back for Michigan's defensive unit and as a halfback and quarterback for the offensive unit. Volk was also selected by the Sporting News as a first-team All-American in 1967. In 1989, he was inducted into the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor; Volk and Ron Johnson were the first two football players from the 1960s to be so honored.

Volk enrolled at the University of Michigan in 1963. His decision to attend Michigan rather than Ohio State was influenced by family ties, including Bob Chappuis, who was Volk's uncle and finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting while playing for the undefeated 1947 Wolverines. Volk noted:

Richard Robert Volk (born March 15, 1945) is a former American football player who played for the Baltimore Colts, New York Giants, and Miami Dolphins. He retired with 38 career interceptions and 13 fumble recoveries, and totaled 574 yards on interception returns and 548 yards on punt returns.