59 Fun Facts About Indianapolis Colts

In which city did the Colts play before moving to Indianapolis in 1984?

Baltimore hosted the Colts from 1953 until Robert Irsay moved the team to Indianapolis in March 1984; the name, chosen in a 1947 fan contest, honoured Maryland's horse-racing heritage.

Which moving company's vans famously carried the Colts out of town overnight on March 29, 1984?

Mayflower Transit sent fifteen trucks to the Owings Mills complex on the night of 28-29 March 1984, beating a state bill that would have let the city seize the team by eminent domain.

Which quarterback, once cut by the Steelers and playing semi-pro for $6 a game, led the Colts to 1958 and 1959 titles?

Johnny Unitas, signed by the Colts in 1956 after a tryout, threw a touchdown pass in 47 straight games from 1956 to 1960, a record that stood until Drew Brees broke it in 2012.

The 1958 NFL Championship, 'the Greatest Game Ever Played', was the first decided how?

It was the first NFL title game decided in sudden-death overtime: tied 17-17, the Colts won 23-17 when Alan Ameche plunged in from the one-yard line before some 45 million TV viewers.

Which coach led the Colts to their 1958 and 1959 titles and then beat them with the Jets in Super Bowl III?

Weeb Ewbank coached the Colts from 1954 to 1962, winning the 1958 and 1959 titles, then took the Jets to their 16-7 upset of his old team in Super Bowl III in January 1969.

How many points were the Colts favoured by when they lost Super Bowl III to the Jets?

The Colts were 18-point favourites, yet Joe Namath's Jets won 16-7 on 12 January 1969, the first Super Bowl victory for the AFL.

The Colts won Super Bowl V 16–13 on a last-second field goal by which kicker?

Jim O'Brien, a rookie, kicked a 32-yard field goal in the final seconds to win Super Bowl V 16-13 on 17 January 1971, a game marred by 11 turnovers.

Super Bowl V is unique for what?

Super Bowl V is unique because its MVP played for the losing team: linebacker Chuck Howley intercepted two passes in a 16-13 defeat and became the first non-quarterback to win the award.

In 1972 Carroll Rosenbloom traded the entire Colts franchise to Robert Irsay in exchange for what?

Robert Irsay bought the Los Angeles Rams for $19 million in July 1972 and swapped them the same day to Carroll Rosenbloom for the Colts; Rosenbloom had owned the Colts since 1953.

Which Stanford quarterback refused to play for the Colts after going first overall in 1983 and forced a trade to Denver?

John Elway, drafted first overall by the Colts in April 1983, threatened to play baseball for the Yankees instead and was traded to Denver within a week for Chris Hinton, Mark Herrmann and a 1984 first-round pick.

Which future Hall of Fame running back did the Colts acquire by trade in 1987?

Eric Dickerson, the NFL's reigning rushing champion, arrived on 31 October 1987 in a three-team trade that cost the Colts the rights to unsigned first-round pick Cornelius Bennett plus draft choices; they went 9-6 and won the AFC East.

The Colts' 1991 team went 1–15, one point away from what?

At 1-15 the Colts were a point from the first 0–16 season: their lone win came by a single point over the Jets, and coach Ron Meyer was fired after an 0-5 start and replaced by Rick Venturi.

The 1995 Colts came within a Hail Mary of Super Bowl XXX, losing the AFC Championship Game to which team?

The Pittsburgh Steelers won 20-16 on 14 January 1996 when Jim Harbaugh's last-play heave bounced off Aaron Bailey in the end zone; the Colts had just won their first playoff games since moving to Indianapolis.

Which GM, hired in 1997, drafted Peyton Manning first overall and built the Super Bowl XLI team?

Bill Polian, hired from Carolina in December 1997, took Peyton Manning over Ryan Leaf in 1998 and ran the front office for 14 seasons until he was fired after the 2-14 collapse of 2011.

Peyton Manning played his college football at which school?

Peyton Manning played at Tennessee from 1994 to 1997, finishing as Heisman runner-up to Charles Woodson; the Volunteers retired his number 16.

How many NFL MVP awards did Peyton Manning win in his career?

Peyton Manning won five MVP awards: four with the Colts in 2003, 2004, 2008 and 2009, and a fifth with Denver in 2013 at age 37.

Which Colts receiver set the single-season record with 143 catches in 2002?

Marvin Harrison caught 143 passes for 1,722 yards in 2002, a single-season record that stood until Michael Thomas's 149 in 2019.

Which running back did the Colts draft fourth overall in 1999 to complete their offensive triplets?

Edgerrin James, taken from Miami ahead of Ricky Williams, led the NFL in rushing in 1999 and 2000, the first two seasons after the Colts traded away their previous star back.

Tony Dungy took over the Colts in 2002 after being fired as head coach of which team?

Tony Dungy was fired by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in January 2002 after six seasons and four playoff trips; the Bucs won the Super Bowl the next season under Jon Gruden, and Dungy coached the Colts until 2008.

Who coached the opposing team against Tony Dungy's Colts in Super Bowl XLI?

Lovie Smith, once a linebackers coach on Dungy's staff, was the opposing head coach in February 2007, making Super Bowl XLI the first with two African American head coaches.

Which team did the Colts beat 29–17 in Super Bowl XLI, the franchise's first title in Indianapolis?

The Chicago Bears took the lead when Devin Hester returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, but in the first rain-soaked Super Bowl the Colts won 29-17 and Peyton Manning was named MVP.

In the 2006 AFC Championship Game the Colts came back from what deficit to beat the Patriots 38–34?

The Colts trailed 21–3 early in the second quarter after an Asante Samuel pick-six, then outscored New England 35-13; Joseph Addai's late touchdown sealed a 38-34 win on 21 January 2007.

The 2005 Colts started 13–0 and finished with what record, the franchise's best in a 16-game season?

The 2005 Colts finished 14–2 after their 13-0 start ended with a home loss to San Diego; seeded first, they were upset 21-18 in the divisional round at home.

The Colts lost Super Bowl XLIV 31–17 to which team after a 14–0 regular season start?

The New Orleans Saints won 31-17 in Miami on 7 February 2010 after Sean Payton's surprise onside kick opened the second half; Tracy Porter's 74-yard interception return sealed it.

How many regular-season games did the Colts win in the 2000s, an NFL-best total?

The Colts won 115 regular-season games from 2000 to 2009, a .719 rate that edged the Patriots' 112, with seven straight 12-win seasons from 2003 to 2009.

Who made eight starts at quarterback for the 2-14 Colts in 2011 while Manning was out?

Curtis Painter, a 2009 sixth-round pick from Purdue, went 0-8 as the starter before Dan Orlovsky took over; the 2-14 finish brought the first overall pick and, in March 2012, Manning's release.

Which Stanford quarterback did the Colts take first overall in 2012 to replace Peyton Manning?

Andrew Luck, taken first overall in April 2012, led the Colts from 2-14 to 11-5 and the playoffs as a rookie, then beat Peyton Manning's unbeaten Broncos 39-33 in October 2013.

In the 2013 wild-card round the Colts beat Kansas City 45–44 after trailing by how much?

Down 38-10 early in the third quarter, the Colts came back by 28 points, outscoring Kansas City 35-6 the rest of the way as T.Y. Hilton caught 13 passes for 224 yards in the 45-44 win.

The Colts' loss to New England in the 2014 AFC Championship Game became infamous under what name?

Deflategate began when Colts staff flagged an intercepted ball as soft during New England's 45-7 win on 18 January 2015; the NFL later suspended Tom Brady four games and fined the Patriots $1 million.

What reason did the Colts' franchise quarterback give for retiring in August 2019 at 29?

He cited the endless cycle of injury and rehab: a lacerated kidney, torn rib cartilage, the shoulder that cost him all of 2017 and a calf and ankle problem; the news leaked during a preseason game on 24 August 2019.

Which head coach withdrew from the Colts job in 2018 hours after being announced, returning to the Patriots?

The Colts announced Josh McDaniels as head coach on 6 February 2018 and he backed out that evening to stay as Patriots offensive coordinator; Eagles coordinator Frank Reich was hired on 11 February.

Which two Colts rookies were named first-team All-Pro in 2018, a feat last managed by Butkus and Sayers?

Quenton Nelson and Shaquille Leonard, a guard taken sixth overall and a linebacker taken 36th in April 2018, were both first-team All-Pro as rookies; Leonard also won Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Which longtime Chargers quarterback signed a one-year, $25 million deal with the Colts in 2020?

He led an 11–5 season and a wild-card loss to Buffalo; Wentz in 2021 and Ryan in 2022 followed as one-year stopgaps.

Which former Colts centre with no coaching experience was named interim head coach in November 2022?

Jeff Saturday, a six-time Pro Bowl centre for the Colts turned ESPN analyst, was named interim coach on 7 November 2022, won his debut at Las Vegas and then lost seven straight.

Which Florida quarterback did the Colts select fourth overall in 2023?

Anthony Richardson, the fourth pick in 2023 from Florida, started four games before a shoulder injury ended his rookie season; Gardner Minshew took over and the Colts finished 9-8.

Who became the Colts' principal owner and CEO in June 2025 after her father's death?

Carlie Irsay-Gordon, the eldest of Jim Irsay's three daughters, was named owner and chief executive in June 2025 after his death in May; her sisters became executive vice president and chief brand officer.

The Colts' late owner paid $2.43 million in 2001 for the original manuscript of which book?

On the Road's original manuscript, a 120-foot scroll Jack Kerouac typed in three weeks in 1951, cost Jim Irsay $2.43 million at Christie's in 2001 and toured with his collection of guitars and memorabilia.

Which stadium was the Colts' home from 1984 to 2007?

The RCA Dome opened in 1984 as the Hoosier Dome, built to lure an NFL team before the Colts had agreed to come; renamed in 1994, it hosted its last game in January 2008, a playoff loss to San Diego.

Which annual NFL event did Indianapolis begin hosting in 1987?

The Scouting Combine moved to Indianapolis in 1987 after earlier editions in other cities; prospects run their 40-yard dashes each February in front of every team's scouts.

The Colts' horseshoe logo moved to its familiar spot, one on each side of the helmet, in which year?

In 1957 the horseshoe moved to each side of the helmet, replacing the 1954-55 design in which a pair of horseshoes sat at the rear of a blue helmet.

Which kicker won Super Bowls with the Patriots and Colts and retired as the NFL's all-time leading scorer?

Adam Vinatieri retired in 2021 with 2,673 points and 599 field goals, NFL records at the time, after 10 seasons with New England and 14 with the Colts.

Which Colts pass rusher from Syracuse made the spin move his Hall of Fame trademark?

Dwight Freeney, the 11th pick in 2002 out of Syracuse, used his spin move to collect 107.5 sacks for the Colts and entered the Hall of Fame in 2024.

Which team did the Colts beat 27–17 in the first-ever AFC Championship Game, in January 1971?

The Oakland Raiders, AFC West champions, lost 27-17 on 3 January 1971 to a Colts team newly arrived from the NFL in the merger; the Colts went on to win Super Bowl V.

Which Colts quarterback was the 1976 NFL MVP, playing behind a defensive line nicknamed the 'Sack Pack'?

Bert Jones, the 1976 MVP, led the Colts to three straight AFC East titles from 1975 to 1977, but each ended with a divisional-round loss, the last in the 'Ghost to the Post' double-overtime game on Christmas Eve 1977.

Which running back did the Colts take second overall in 1994, sparking their mid-90s revival?

Marshall Faulk, taken second overall from San Diego State, won Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1994 and made the Pro Bowl in each of his first three seasons before a 1999 trade to St. Louis.

Which head coach's fight with leukaemia rallied the 2012 Colts to an unexpected 11–5 playoff season?

Chuck Pagano was diagnosed with leukaemia in September 2012, three games into his first season; Bruce Arians went 9-3 as interim coach before Pagano returned for the finale and a wild-card trip.

Which defunct team's assets did Carroll Rosenbloom's group purchase in 1953 to create the Colts?

The Dallas Texans folded after one 1-11 season in 1952; the NFL awarded their assets to a group led by Carroll Rosenbloom and treats the Colts as a 1953 expansion team, not a continuation.

Who was the Colts' first head coach, going 3-9 in the inaugural 1953 season?

Keith Molesworth, a former NFL quarterback, went 3-9 in 1953 and was moved upstairs to personnel director; the Colts did not post a winning record until their fifth season.

Which team shut out Don Shula's 12-2 Colts 27-0 in the 1964 NFL Championship Game?

The Cleveland Browns, led by Jim Brown and a Frank Ryan-to-Gary Collins passing attack, shut out the Colts 27-0 at Cleveland Stadium on 27 December 1964, one of the era's biggest title-game upsets.

Along with Rosenbloom's Colts, which two owners agreed to move their teams to the AFC in the 1970 merger?

Art Modell and Art Rooney, owners of the Browns and Steelers, each took $3 million, as did Rosenbloom, to move into the AFC alongside the ten AFL clubs for the 1970 season.

Which team visited the Colts for their last home game before the 1984 move?

The Houston Oilers lost 20-10 at Memorial Stadium on 18 December 1983 before a crowd of about 20,000, the last Colts home game before the move.

Roughly how many season-ticket requests did the Colts receive in two weeks after arriving in Indianapolis?

Some 143,000 season-ticket requests poured in within two weeks of the March 1984 move, more than twice what the new dome could hold.

Which head coach did the Colts fire after their 3-13 season in 1997?

Lindy Infante went 9-7 in 1996 but 3-13 in 1997 and was dismissed; the new front office hired Jim Mora and drafted Peyton Manning first overall.

How many consecutive regular-season starts did Peyton Manning make for the Colts?

Peyton Manning started 208 straight regular-season games from his 1998 debut through 2010, a streak ended only by the neck surgery that cost him all of 2011.

Which team ended the Colts' 9-0 start to the 2006 season?

The Dallas Cowboys won 21-14 at Texas Stadium on 19 November 2006, handing the Colts their first loss after nine straight wins; the Colts finished 12-4 and went on to win Super Bowl XLI.

Which Colts tight end caught 100 passes in 2009?

Dallas Clark caught 100 passes for 1,106 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2009, the first Colts tight end to reach 100 receptions, and was named first-team All-Pro.

For which quarterback did the Colts trade a third-round and a conditional second-round pick in March 2021?

Carson Wentz arrived from Philadelphia in a deal that became a first-round pick; despite Jonathan Taylor's All-Pro season the Colts finished 9-8, lost at Jacksonville to miss the playoffs, and traded him to Washington a year later.

What tertiary colour did the Colts add to their identity in 2020, initially only on the Nike swoosh?

A black alternate helmet followed in July 2023 alongside the 'Indiana C' shoulder logo.

Which AFC South rival has the oldest rivalry with the Colts, dating to the 1970 season?

The Tennessee Titans' series with the Colts dates to 1970, when both franchises entered the new AFC after the merger; it became a divisional rivalry when the AFC South formed in 2002.