Tom Matte, a stubby halfback for the Baltimore Colts who stepped in as their quarterback late in the 1965 season when Johnny Unitas and his backup, Gary Cuozzo, were injured and nearly took the team to the N.F.L. championship game, died on Tuesday at his home in Towson, Md. He was 82.
John Harbaugh, the coach of the Baltimore Ravens, announced the death.
Matte was a sturdy, reliable and productive running back for the Colts for 12 seasons. But he was no stranger to playing quarterback. He had played the position at Ohio State University, though he had not passed often in Coach Woody Hayes’s run-oriented offense.