Curry was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the 1967 NFL expansion draft on February 9 after he was left unprotected by Vince Lombardi who chose to keep Ken Bowman as the Packers' new starting center.

[1] Curry never saw action for the Saints who traded him one month later on March 6 to the Baltimore Colts along with three draft picks, one of which was that year's first overall selection (Bubba Smith), in exchange for Gary Cuozzo, Butch Allison and a 1967 seventeenth rounder.

[2] The request to include Curry in the transaction was made by Colts head coach Don Shula who admired his special teams versatility.

However, after having caught the Jets' defense completely unaware, QB Earl Morrall failed to spot WR Jimmy Orr wide open near the end zone, and instead threw a wobbly pass underneath that was intercepted.

It was particularly dispiriting for Curry, who, having no one to block due to the Jets biting hard on the initial hand-off, had a perfect view of Orr and was sure the play would result in a touchdown.

To add insult to injury, following the loss, Curry and his teammates were subjected to unusually harsh criticisms, including unsubstantiated claims that they had somehow thrown the game.

After ownership of the Colts was transferred to Bob Irsay the team's championship spirit, which was emblematic of the franchise under Rosenbloom's reign, was dissolved by newly installed GM Joe Thomas.

Curry's close confidant, and Colts legend, John Unitas was unceremoniously benched in 1972, and many of those responsible for the franchise's success in years past were shipped out of Baltimore—Curry among them.

Though their fledgling efforts at self-assertion were largely unsuccessful, it can be argued that men like Curry and Colts teammate John Mackey laid the groundwork for the vastly improved wages and working conditions that exist for NFL players today.

Both were among the fifteen plaintiffs in Mackey v. National Football League in which Judge Earl R. Larson declared that the Rozelle rule was a violation of antitrust laws on December 30, 1975.

There he posted a record of 26–10, won a share of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) title in 1989 and made bowl appearances every year of his three-year tenure.

Curry's three-year record of 26–10 gave him the highest winning percentage among Alabama coaches to that point since the retirement of Bear Bryant.

[13] During Curry's time in Tuscaloosa, he was subject to intense scrutiny from the fanbase, famously having an Alabama fan throw a brick through his office window following a 1988 loss to Ole Miss.

[14][15] In early 1990, Alabama tendered Curry a new contract which contained provisions he disliked, including no raise and removal of his power to hire and fire assistants.