Indianapolis Colts
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Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/64.26.109.134|64.26.109.134]] ([[User talk:64.26.109.134|talk]]) to last version by El C
{{current sport-related|image=AmericanFootball current event.svg|mini=1|2008 Indianapolis Colts season}}
{{NFL team | name = Indianapolis Colts
| logo = Indianapolis Colts logo.svg
| founded = 1953
| city = [[Indianapolis, Indiana]]
| uniform = Image:AFCS-Uniform-IND.PNG
| colors = Royal Blue, White
| coach = [[Tony Dungy]]
| owner = [[Jim Irsay]]
| general manager = [[Bill Polian]]
| mascot = [[Blue (NFL Mascot)|Blue]]
| nicknames = The Horseshoes, Indy
| hist_yr = 1984
| hist_misc =
* [[Baltimore, Maryland|Baltimore]] Colts (1953-1983)
| NFL_start_yr = 1953
| division_hist =
* Western Conference (1953-1969)
** [[National Football League Coastal Division|Coastal Division]] (1967-1969)
* '''[[American Football Conference]] (1970-present)'''
** [[AFC East]] (1970-2001)
** [[AFC South]] (2002-present)|
| no_league_champs = 5
| no_sb_champs = 2
| no_conf_champs = 6
| no_div_champs = 12
| league_champs =
* '''[[List of NFL champions|NFL Championships]] (3)'''<br>[[NFL Championship Game, 1958|1958]], [[NFL Championship Game, 1959|1959]], [[NFL Championship Game, 1968|1968]]
| sb_champs = 1970 ([[Super Bowl V|V]]), 2006 ([[Super Bowl XLI|XLI]]) <!-- do not change this to 2007, '2006' means the 2006 NFL season -->
| conf_champs =
* '''NFL Western:''' 1958, 1959, 1964, 1968
* '''AFC:''' 1970, 2006
| div_champs =
* '''NFL Coastal:''' 1968
* '''AFC East:''' 1970, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1987, 1999
* '''AFC South:''' 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
| stadium_years =
* [[Memorial Stadium (Baltimore)]] (1953-1983)
* [[RCA Dome]] (1984-2007)
** a.k.a. Hoosier Dome (1984-93)
* '''[[Lucas Oil Stadium]] (2008-present)'''
}}
The '''Indianapolis Colts''' are a professional [[American football]] team based in [[Indianapolis, Indiana]]. The team is part of the [[American Football Conference South Division|South Division]] of the [[American Football Conference]] (AFC) in the [[National Football League]] (NFL). The Colts have won five NFL Championships, including two [[Super Bowl]] titles, most recently in [[2006 Indianapolis Colts season|2006]] in [[Super Bowl XLI]] against the [[Chicago Bears]].
The Colts relocated from Baltimore in 1984, and began their stay in Indianapolis winning 90 of 228 games through the 1997 season, including 5 [[NFL playoffs|playoff games]]. Since Jim Irsay assumed control of the franchise in 1998 after the death of his father [[Robert Irsay]], the team has become the first in league history to win 12 games or more in five consecutive seasons.<ref name="espnColts">{{cite web | url = http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=271216013 | title = Colts clip Raiders for fifth straight AFC South title | publisher = ESPN.com | date = 2007-12-16 | accessdate = 2007-12-20}}</ref>
==Franchise history==
===The AAFC Baltimore Colts===
{{details|Baltimore Colts (1947-50)}}
===The NFL Baltimore Colts===
{{details|History of the Indianapolis Colts}}
In 1953, a Baltimore-based group led by [[Carroll Rosenbloom]] won the rights to a new Baltimore franchise. Rosenbloom was awarded the remains of the [[Dallas Texans (NFL)|Dallas Texans]]. The Texans had a long and winding history; they started as the [[Boston Yanks]] in 1944 and merged with the [[Brooklyn Tigers]] (previously known as the [[Dayton Triangles]], an original NFL team established in the 1910s) for the 1945 season before moving to [[New York City|New York]] as the Bulldogs in 1949. The team then became the [[New York Yanks|Yanks]] in 1950, and many of the players from the [[New York Yankees (AAFC)|New York Yankees]] of the [[All-America Football Conference]] were added to the team. The Yanks moved to Dallas after the 1951 season, but played their final two "home" games of the 1952 season at the [[Rubber Bowl]] in [[Akron, Ohio]]. However, the NFL considers the Texans and Colts to be separate teams, although many of those teams shared the same colors of blue and white.
The Colts were the first NFL team to have [[cheerleaders]], and the old Colts' fan club and marching band (now under the name Baltimore's Marching Ravens) were adopted by the new franchise.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pressboxonline.com/story.cfm?id=727|title=Baltimore's Colts: A Team for the Ages|accessdate=2007-08-19|last=Gibbons|first=Michael|date=2006-08-07|publisher=Press Box Online}}</ref>
The [[1958 NFL season|1958]] team, led by coach [[Weeb Ewbank]] and quarterback [[Johnny Unitas]] defeated the [[New York Giants]] at [[Yankee Stadium]] 23-17 in the [[NFL Championship Game, 1958|NFL championship game]]. The game, the first-ever utilizing the overtime rule, is generally considered to be among the greatest contests in professional football history.{{Fact|date=August 2007}}
The Colts repeated as NFL champions in [[1959 NFL season|1959]], defeating the Giants again, 31-16. In the early 1960s, the Colts continued as an elite NFL team although they lost the [[professional football championship games|NFL championship game]] in [[1964 NFL season|1964]] to the [[Cleveland Browns]], 27-0.
In [[1968 NFL season|1968]], after a 13-1 season, the Colts gained a measure of revenge against the Browns, defeating them 34-0 in the [[professional football championship games|NFL championship game]]. The 13-1 regular season and the trouncing of the Browns led NFL-based media to call the Colts "the greatest pro football team of all time". {{Fact|date=January 2007}} The Colts went into [[Super Bowl III]] (the first in the series to officially be called the ''Super Bowl'') against the [[American Football League]]'s [[New York Jets]] as 17-point favorites, with NFL icons like [[Pro Bowl]]ers [[Bobby Boyd]] (db), [[Mike Curtis (football player)|Mike Curtis]] (lb), [[John Mackey (athlete)|John Mackey]] (te), [[Tom Matte]] (rb), [[Fred Miller]] (dl), [[Earl Morrall]] (qb), [[Willie Richardson]] (wr), and [[Bob Vogel]] (ol).
The result of the game was surprising to many in the sports media{{Fact|date=August 2007}} as [[Joe Namath]] and [[Matt Snell]] led the [[American Football League]] champion [[New York Jets|Jets]] to a [[professional football championship games|World Championship]] over the NFL's Colts, 16-7. The Jets were coached by [[Weeb Ewbank]], the coach of the Colts' first two NFL titles.
Prior to the 1970 season, Rosenbloom, [[Art Modell]] of the Browns, and [[Art Rooney]] of the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] agreed to have their teams join the ten AFL teams in the AFC as part of the AFL-NFL merger. The 1970 Colts immediately went on a rampage, as new head coach [[Don McCafferty]] led the Colts to and 11-3 regular season record, winning the AFC East title. In the first round of the NFL Playoffs, they beat the [[Cincinnati Bengals]] 21-0; one week later in the AFC Championship, they beat the [[Oakland Raiders]] 27-17. Baltimore went on to win the first post-merger Super Bowl ([[Super Bowl V]]) defeating the NFC's [[Dallas Cowboys]] 16-13, on a Jim O'Brien field goal with 5 seconds left to play. In [[1971 NFL Season|1971]], the Colts made it back to the playoffs and defeated the Cleveland Browns in the first round, but lost to the [[Miami Dolphins]] in the AFC Championship on [[January 2]] [[1972]] 21-0.
On [[July 13]], [[1972]], Rosenbloom traded the Colts franchise to Robert Irsay for the [[Los Angeles Rams]], but the players remained in their respective cities. The Colts made the playoffs four more times in the 1970s - a wild card in [[1971 NFL season|1971]] and three consecutive AFC East titles in [[1975 NFL season|1975]], [[1976 NFL season|through]], and [[1977 NFL season|1977]]. These consecutive championship teams featured 1976 NFL Most Valuable Player [[Bert Jones]] at quarterback and an outstanding defensive line, nicknamed the "Sack Pack". Following the mid-70s success, the team endured nine consecutive losing seasons beginning in [[1978 NFL season|1978]]. In [[1981 NFL season|1981]], the defense was the main problem: The Colts allowed an NFL-record 533 points, set an all-time record for fewest sacks (13) and also set a modern record for fewest punt returns (12).{{Fact|date=August 2007}} The following year the offense collapsed: On [[November 28]], [[1982]], the Colts' offense did not cross mid-field in an entire game against the [[Buffalo Bills|Bills]]; this would not happen again in an NFL game until [[2000 NFL season|2000]]. The Colts finished 0-8-1 in the strike-shortened 1982 season. The disastrous 1982 season earned the team the right to select Stanford's [[John Elway]], but Elway refused to play for Baltimore, and using leverage as a draftee of the New York Yankees baseball club, forced a trade to Denver. Behind an improved defense the team would finish 7-9 in [[1983 Baltimore Colts season|1983]], but it would be their last season in Baltimore.
===Relocation to Indianapolis===
By early 1984, after the Colts' lease on the 64,124 seat [[Memorial Stadium (Baltimore)|Memorial Stadium]] had expired,<ref name="fn_3">http://www.stadiumsofnfl.com/past/MemorialStadium.htm Stadiums of the NFL - Memorial Stadium</ref> Irsay wanted the city of Baltimore to upgrade the stadium or build a new one. But with attendance dwindling and the team playing poorly, city officials were wary of such an investment and negotiations were slow and contentious. Relations between Irsay and the city of Baltimore deteriorated, and despite numerous public announcements that Irsay's ultimate desire was to remain in Baltimore, he nevertheless began discussions with several cities hungry for an NFL franchise, eventually narrowing the list of cities to two, Phoenix and Indianapolis.<ref name="fn_6">[http://members.tripod.com/~bonesaw/Indy_History.htm Descendants of the Mayflower - A History of the Indianapolis Colts]</ref> Under the administrations of mayor Richard Lugar and then William Hudnut, Indianapolis was making an ambitious effort to reinvent itself into a 'Great American City'. The [[Hoosier Dome]] (later renamed the RCA Dome) had been built specifically for and was ready to host an NFL expansion team.
Meanwhile in Baltimore, the situation worsened. Eventually, the [[Maryland]] legislature intervened and threatened to pass a law giving the city of Baltimore the right to seize ownership of the team by [[eminent domain]]. As a result, Irsay began serious negotiations with Indianapolis Mayor [[William Hudnut]] in order to move the team before the Maryland legislature could pass the bill. The city of Indianapolis was more than willing to receive the team and provided the Colts owner with a $12,500,000 loan, a $4,000,000 training complex, and the use of the brand new 57,980 seat [[RCA Dome|Hoosier Dome]].<ref name="fn_4">[http://www.siteselection.com/bonus/2001/sep/guestcolumn.htm Moving the Company]</ref> After agreeing to the deal, [[Mayflower Transit]] trucks were dispatched to the team's Maryland training complex at 2:00 AM on [[March 29]], where workers loaded all of the team's belongings and the trucks left for Indianapolis by 3:00 AM.
===Baltimore moves on===
The move triggered a flurry of legal activity that ended when representatives of Baltimore and the Colts organization reached a settlement on March 1986 in which all lawsuits regarding the relocation were dismissed, and the Colts would endorse a new NFL team for Baltimore.<ref name="fn_2">[http://www2.indystar.com/library/factfiles/sports/football-pro/indpls_colts/history/colts.html History of the Indianapolis Colts] from indystar.com (Last Accessed June 10, 2006)</ref> Nonetheless, many of the prominent old-time Colts (many of whom had settled in the Baltimore area) were bitter and chose to cut all ties to the relocated Colts team. Most notable and vocal among them was [[Johnny Unitas]], who recognized himself solely as a player for the ''Baltimore'' Colts until the day he died, with his estate defending that stand to this day. However, former Baltimore Colts [[Defensive tackle|DT]] [[Joe Ehrmann]] (1973-80), has remained close to the team. After football he became an ordained minister who speaks to several NFL teams a year. He is the co-founder of Baltimore's Ronald McDonald House and the founder of a Baltimore inner-city, community-based ministry called "The Door".
In a bit of irony, Baltimore did eventually land another NFL franchise in a manner similar to Indianapolis. Several years later on [[November 6]], [[1995]], Cleveland Browns owner [[Art Modell]] announced his intention to move Cleveland's team to Baltimore. The decision also triggered a flurry of legal activity. Modell originally intended to take the Browns name with him to Baltimore. However, many Cleveland fans refused to give up the city's NFL franchise name. Finally, representatives of both cities and the NFL reached a settlement on [[February 9]], [[1996]]. It stipulated that the Browns' name, colors, and history of the franchise were to remain in Cleveland. Modell would be allowed to take his players and organization to Baltimore, but it would be technically regarded as an expansion team. The new Baltimore team was named the [[Baltimore Ravens|Ravens]] after a fan vote.
The Colts' final ''home'' game in Baltimore was played on [[December 18]], [[1983]] against the then [[Houston Oilers]]. The Colts would not return to Baltimore until 1998. Ironically, in 2006, the new Baltimore team had a chance to stop the Indianapolis Colts on their way to the franchise's first Super Bowl appearance since moving. However, the Colts defeated the Baltimore Ravens 15-6 in the division playoff round on their way to winning Super Bowl XLI.
===Early struggles in Indy===
The newly minted Indianapolis Colts continued to struggle on the field, with 4-12, 5-11 and 3-13 records during the first three seasons. The latter, during the 1986 season, began 0-13, with the team in contention to be the second modern-day team to go winless for an entire season (the 1976 [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] went 0-14) when they dismissed [[Rod Dowhower]] and replaced him with former [[New England Patriots|Patriots]] head coach [[Ron Meyer]]. The Colts responded by winning the final three games under his watch.
1987 saw the Colts make the playoffs for the first time in a decade, winning the AFC East with a 9-6 record bolstered by the mid-season arrival of Pro Bowl running back [[Eric Dickerson]]. The next few seasons saw Indianapolis wallow in mediocrity before collapsing to a 1-15 in 1991, that team scored the fewest points ever (143) of any NFL team since going to the standard 16-game schedule in 1978.
The Colts did not return to the playoffs until the 1995 season, with [[Jim Harbaugh]] at quarterback and [[Marshall Faulk]] at running back, clinching a wild card berth with a 9-7 record. They advanced to the AFC Championship Game before losing to the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] at [[Three Rivers Stadium]]. Although they won nine games again the following year, and secured another wild card berth, a dismal 3-13 season soon followed in 1997, which earned them the first pick in the upcoming [[NFL draft|draft]] and marked a crucial turning point for the franchise.
===The beginning of the Peyton Manning era===
[[Jim Irsay]] began to shape the Colts one year after assuming control from his father by firing Coach [[Lindy Infante]] and hiring [[Bill Polian]] to run the organization. Polian in turn hired [[Jim E. Mora]] to coach the team and drafted [[Tennessee Volunteers football|University of Tennessee Volunteers]] quarterback [[Peyton Manning]], the son of [[New Orleans Saints]] legend [[Archie Manning]], with the first pick in the [[1998 NFL Draft]]. After recording a 3-13 record in 1998, the team drafted [[Edgerrin James]] with the 4th pick in the draft. The Colts finished 13-3 in 1999, but were eliminated in the divisional round by the [[Tennessee Titans]]. The following year, they were defeated in overtime in a wild-card playoff game against the [[Miami Dolphins]] in Miami, when a potential 49-yard game-winning field goal attempt by [[Mike Vanderjagt]] sailed to the right of the goalposts. James tore his ACL in the sixth game of the 2001 season, and while backup [[Dominic Rhodes]] proved a capable starter in becoming the first undrafted rookie to rush for over 1000 yards, the loss of James and a defense that gave up the most points in a season of any NFL team since 1981 proved too much to overcome; the Colts would finish 6-10 in and missed the playoffs. Mora was fired after the season, reportedly due to a disagreement with general manager [[Bill Polian]] over defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, but more over a dispute with the media on his team was capable of making the playoffs that year, to which he replied:
{{cquote|'''''Uh...Playoffs? Don't talk to me about playoffs. You kidding me? Playoffs?! I just hope we can win a game.'''''}} <ref>[http://espn.go.com/nfl/news/2002/0108/1307715.html ESPN.com: NFL - Mora fired as Colts coach after 6-10 season<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
The firing led to the hiring of head coach [[Tony Dungy]], the former head coach of the [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]], who had led his former team to four playoff appearances in the previous six years. Dungy led the Colts to the playoffs in his first season with the Colts, but a blowout (41-0) playoff loss to the [[New York Jets]] ended the season.
In the [[2003 NFL season]], Manning was named co-Most Valuable Player with [[Tennessee Titans]] quarterback [[Steve McNair]]. The Colts won the AFC South division title over the Titans via the head to head tiebreaker (both teams finished with 12-4 records). The Colts defeated the [[Denver Broncos]] in the wild-card playoff (41-10), and advanced to play the [[Kansas City Chiefs]] in the divisional playoffs, winning 38-31. In the AFC Championship game they were defeated 24-14 by the eventual Super Bowl champion [[New England Patriots]], with Manning throwing four interceptions in a game widely criticized for its minimal officiating (only seven penalties were called during the entire game, six of them were pre-snap fouls).
===2005 season===
{{see|2005 Indianapolis Colts season}}
The Colts became the 4th team in league history to win their first 13 games, but the season ended with an opening playoff game loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Manning and [[Marvin Harrison]] broke [[Steve Young (athlete)|Steve Young]] and [[Jerry Rice]]'s NFL record for most touchdowns by a quarterback-receiver tandem, notching their 86th in a Monday Night home game against [[St. Louis Rams]] in week 6. Two weeks later Peyton Manning logged his first victory at New England against the [[New England Patriots|Patriots]], ending a six game New England win streak. After defeating Jacksonville in week 14 they became only the fourth team in NFL history to reach a record of 13-0 and clinched home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The dream of a perfect record for the Colts ended the next week however as the [[San Diego Chargers]] defeated the Colts 26-17.
In week 16, the Colts played without coach [[Tony Dungy]] following the suicide of his son James earlier in the week. With the team resting most of their key players, the Colts lost their second straight to the eventual NFC Champion [[Seattle Seahawks]]. Dungy returned to the sidelines for the last regular season game as the Colts beat the [[Arizona Cardinals]] 17-13 while resting most of the team's usual starters. The team's final record of 14-2 marked the best 16-game season in the franchise's history.
On [[January 15]], [[2006]], the Colts were eliminated in the divisional round by the eventual Super Bowl champion [[Pittsburgh Steelers]], 21-18. Trailing 21-10 late in the game, the Colts regained possession and put 8 points on the board to make it 21-18. After a [[Jerome Bettis]] fumble on the goal line the Colts drove down the field, only to have [[Mike Vanderjagt]] miss a 46-yard field goal attempt wide right.
===2006 season===
{{main|2006 Indianapolis Colts season}}
After becoming the first team in NFL history to begin two consecutive seasons by winning nine games, the Colts proceeded to lose three of the next four, largely due to the league's worst run defense. However, they still captured their fourth consecutive [[AFC South]] title by defeating the Cincinnati Bengals on [[Monday Night Football]] in Week 15 of the season with, ironically, a strong showing from their defense. The Colts finished the season with a 12-4 record, giving them the number three seed in the playoffs. The record also marked their [[Active NFL playoff appearance streaks|fifth consecutive season]] with ten victories or more. In week 13 against the [[Tennessee Titans|Titans]], the quarterback-wide receiver combination of Manning to Harrison became the all time leader in touchdowns in NFL History.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.colts.com/sub.cfm?page=bio&player_id=8|title=Official Bio on Colts.com|accessdate=2007-01-14}}</ref>
In the Colts' first-round playoff game, they defeated the [[Kansas City Chiefs]] 23-8, despite Peyton Manning throwing three interceptions. The Colts defense managed to hold the Chiefs to 44 yards} on the ground and 2 yards passing in the first half. The Chiefs did not earn a first down until 3:33 remained in the third quarter.
The Colts defeated the [[Baltimore Ravens]] 15-6 in the division playoff round, thanks to kicker Adam Vinatieri's five field goals and another impressive defensive showing. They played the [[New England Patriots]] at home in the AFC title game for the rights to the Super Bowl; it was the Colts' third conference championship game in the Indianapolis era. The game marked the first time that the AFC title game was played in a domed stadium. After trailing at one point 21-3, the Colts stormed back, defeating the arch-rival Patriots for the third consecutive time. With a final score of 38-34, the 18-point comeback was the largest ever in an NFL conference championship game, and tied the record for the fourth largest NFL postseason comeback.<ref> {{cite book
| title=2006 NFL Record and Fact Book
| id=ISBN 1-933405-32-5
| pages=347}}</ref>
===Super Bowl XLI===
{{main|Super Bowl XLI}}
[[Image:Bush Congratulates 2006 Colts.jpg|thumb|right|225px|President [[George W. Bush]] congratulates the Colts]]
The Colts defeated the Chicago Bears 29-17 on February 4, 2007 in [[Dolphin Stadium]], after overcoming a rocky start that saw the Bears' Devin Hester return the opening kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown and the Colts' Peyton Manning throw an early interception. Rain fell throughout the game, for the first time in Super Bowl history, significantly contributing to the six turnovers committed by both teams in the first half. [[Peyton Manning]] was awarded the [[Super Bowl MVP|the MVP]] after completing 25 of 38 passes for 247 yards and a touchdown, caught by Reggie Wayne.
Colts' running backs [[Dominic Rhodes]] and [[Joseph Addai]] combined for 190 rushing yards and a touchdown, while kicker [[Adam Vinatieri]] converted 3 of his 4 [[Field goal (football)|field goal]] attempts. Defensively, safety [[Bob Sanders]] and cornerback [[Kelvin Hayden]] each intercepted Bears' quarterback [[Rex Grossman]] late in the game, with Hayden returning his for 56 yards and a touchdown, essentially sealing the Colts' victory.
Indianapolis became the first "[[List of current National Football League stadiums|dome team]]" to win a Super Bowl in an outdoor stadium, the first to win in the rain, and the first to win after having the statistically worst rushing defense in the league during the regular season. [[Tony Dungy]] became only the third man to have won the Super Bowl as both a head coach {XLI} and a player {[[Super Bowl XIII|XIII]]} (along with [[Tom Flores]] {[[Super Bowl IV|IV]]-player, [[Super Bowl XV|XV]] and [[Super Bowl XVIII|XVIII]]-coach} and [[Mike Ditka]] {[[Super Bowl VI|VI]]-player, [[Super Bowl XX|XX]]-coach}), as well as the first African-American Head Coach to win a Super Bowl. With the win the Colts became the only team to date to win a Super Bowl from the AFC South. Also the Colts have made it to the Super Bowl three times, all three in Miami.
===2007 season===
{{main|2007 Indianapolis Colts season}}
The Colts ended the 2007 regular NFL season with a record of 13 wins and 3 losses, winning the AFC South title. They faced the [[San Diego Chargers]] at the [[RCA Dome]] on January 13th, 2008, after earning a bye for the first round of the 2007 playoffs. They lost to the Chargers 28-24.
===Controversies ===
After receiving a complaint from New England Patriots president [[Jonathan Kraft]] about a suspicious sound in the RCA Dome during a game with the Patriots on November 4, 2007, NFL vice president of security Milt Ahlerich determined the sound was a glitch in the television broadcast. "'CBS has informed us that the unusual audio moment heard by fans during the Patriots-Colts telecast was the result of tape feedback in the CBS production truck and was isolated to the CBS broadcast,' NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said. 'It was in no way related to any sound within the stadium and could not be heard in the stadium.'" <ref>[http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/nfl_experts/post/Patriots-complain-about-crowd-noise?urn=nfl,52422 Production cause of audio glitch during Pats-Colts telecast - NFL Experts B... - NFL - Yahoo! Sports<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
During the final game of the 2007 season, Indianapolis played the Tennessee Titans, who were competing with the Cleveland Browns for the final spot in the playoffs. As many teams do, the Colts rested many of their starters as they had already clinched a position in the post-season. There was speculation the Colts and the Titans had colluded as to game strategy -- presumably to ensure the Titans (and deny the Cleveland Browns) a post-season berth. Titans quarterback Kerry Collins claimed in a radio interview they were not aggressive in the final minutes of the game because the team "knew" the Colts were not going to challenge them <ref>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22487240/ Collusion? Titans, Colts had ‘communication’ - NFL - MSNBC.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>. "'Apparently there was some communication between Jeff (Fisher) and Tony (Dungy),' Collins said on WFAN."
Fisher responded "Let me just say, I knew he wasn't going to use it. Tony and I were on the competition committee for a long time.' The Titans coach also said the Colts would have gotten the ball back with 25 seconds left but down nine because Tennessee would have kicked another field goal." Fisher then said "It didn't make any sense. They gave it their best shot."
The article continues with possible implications: "If true, the Cleveland Browns could possibly file a grievance alleging collusion." To date, there has been no grievance filed by the Browns with the NFL.
===Lucas Oil Stadium===
{{main|Lucas Oil Stadium}}
After 24 years of playing at the RCA Dome, the Colts will begin play in Lucas Oil Stadium starting in the fall of 2008. In December 2004, the City of Indianapolis and Jim Irsay agreed to a new stadium deal that will benefit both the city and the team at an estimated cost of $675 million. In a deal estimated at $122 million, Lucas Oil Products won the naming rights to the stadium for 20 years.
It will be a seven-level stadium with a retractable roof seating 63,000 for football. It can be reconfigured to seat 70,000 or more for NCAA basketball and football and concerts. It will cover {{convert|1800000|sqft|m2}}. The stadium features a retractable roof allowing the Colts to play home games outdoors for the first time since arriving in Indianapolis. Using [[FieldTurf]] the playing surface will be roughly 25ft below ground level. The new stadium will be bigger and better than the RCA Dome in many ways. Housing 58 permanent concession stands, 90 portable concession stands, 13 escalators, 11 passenger elevators, 800 restrooms, high definition scoreboards and replay monitors and 142 luxury suites. Other than being the home of the Colts, the stadium will host games in both the Men's and Women's [[NCAA Basketball Tournament]]s and will serve as the back up host for all NCAA [[Final Four]] Tournaments. It will also numerous events and conventions. The stadium will make Indianapolis eligible to bid to host a [[Super Bowl]] and has a potential economic impact estimated at $286,000,000.
===Season-by-season records===
{{main|Indianapolis Colts seasons}}
==Logo and uniforms==
The Colts' logo and uniforms have basically remained the same since the team's debut in 1953. The helmet is white with a speed blue horseshoe logo. The blue jerseys have white shoulder stripes while the white jerseys have blue stripes. The team also wears white pants with blue stripes along the sides.
From 1982 through 1986, the Colts wore gray pants with their blue jerseys. The gray pants featured a horseshoe on the top of the sides with the player's number inside the horseshoe. The Colts continued to wear white pants with their white jerseys throughout this period, and in 1987, the gray pants were retired.
The Colts wore blue pants with their white jerseys for the first three games of the [[1995 NFL season|1995]] season, but then returned to white pants with both the blue and white jerseys. The team made some minor uniform adjustments before the start of the [[2004 NFL season|2004 season]], including reverting from blue to the traditional gray face masks, darkening their blue colors from a light blue to speed blue, as well as adding two white stripes to the socks. In 2006, the stripes were removed from the socks.
<gallery>
Image:Indianapolis Colts logo.svg|Colts logo (1978-present).
<!-- Image with unknown copyright status removed: Image:IndianapolisColts_1001.png|Colts logo (2004-present) This logo features a darker shade of blue than the previous logo. -->
Image:White facemask.png|Colts helmet (1987-1994)
Image:Blue facemask.png|Colts helmet (1995-2003)
Image:Indianapolis Colts helmet rightface.png|Colts helmet (2004-present)
<!-- Deleted image removed: Image:Blue script.png|Colts script since moving to Indianapolis -->
<!-- Image with unknown copyright status removed: Image:IND_3546.gif|Home Uniform (2006-present) -->
<!-- Image with unknown copyright status removed: Image:IND_3547.gif|Road Uniform (2006-present) -->
Image:Faulk_Blue_Pants.jpg|Marshall Faulk wearing the short-lived blue pants.
</gallery>
==Players of note==
===Current roster===
{{Indianapolis Colts roster}}
===[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]rs===
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
====Baltimore Colts====
* 82 [[Raymond Berry]]
* 70 [[Art Donovan]]
* 83 [[Ted Hendricks]]
* 88 [[John Mackey (athlete)|John Mackey]]
* 89 [[Gino Marchetti]]
* 24 [[Lenny Moore]]
* 77 [[Jim Parker (American football)|Jim Parker]]
* 19 [[Johnny Unitas]]
* [[Weeb Ewbank]]
* [[Don Shula]]
{{col-break}}
====Indianapolis Colts====
* 29 [[Eric Dickerson]]
{{col-end}}
===Retired numbers===
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
====Baltimore Colts====
* 19 [[Johnny Unitas]]
* 22 [[Buddy Young]]
* 24 [[Lenny Moore]]
* 70 [[Art Donovan]]
* 77 [[Jim Parker (American football)|Jim Parker]]
* 82 [[Raymond Berry]]
* 89 [[Gino Marchetti]]
{{col-break}}
====Indianapolis Colts====
(None as of the 2007 season.)
However, the Colts '''Ring of Honor''' includes:
* 4 [[Jim Harbaugh]], QB
* 75 [[Chris Hinton]], OT
* 80 [[Bill Brooks (football player)|Bill Brooks]], WR
* [[Robert Irsay]], owner
* [[Ted Marchibroda]], Head Coach
{{col-end}}
===Other notable former players===
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
====Baltimore Colts====
* [[Don Joyce (football player)| Don Joyce]]
* [[Alan Ameche]]
* [[Norm Bulaich]]
* [[Mike Curtis (American football)|Mike Curtis]]
* [[Bert Jones]]
* [[Bruce Laird (football player)|Bruce Laird]]
* [[Lenny Lyles]]
* [[Tom Matte]]
* [[Don McCauley]]
* [[Lou Michaels]]
* [[Lydell Mitchell]]
* [[Earl Morrall]]
* [[Steve Myhra]]
* [[Buzz Nutter]]
* [[Jim O'Brien (football player)|Jim O'Brien]]
* [[R.C. Owens]]
* [[Bill Pellington]]
* [[Bert Rechichar]]
* [[Johnny Sample]]
* [[Don Shinnick]]
* [[Bubba Smith]]
* [[Joe Washington]]
* [[Carroll Rosenbloom]], owner
{{col-break}}
====Indianapolis Colts====
* [[Raul Allegre]]
* [[Chip Banks]]
* [[Pat Beach]]
* [[Dean Biasucci]]
* [[Duane Bickett]]
* [[Quentin Coryatt]]
* [[Eugene Daniel]]
* [[Eric Dickerson]]
* [[Ken Dilger]]
* [[Ray Donaldson]]
* [[Marshall Faulk]]
* [[Jeff George]]
* [[Tarik Glenn]]
* [[Jim Harbaugh]]
* [[Edgerrin James]]
* [[Cato June]]
* [[Barry Krauss]]
* [[Marcus Pollard]]
* [[Tony Siragusa]]
* [[Rohn Stark]]
* [[Brandon Stokley]]
* [[Mike Vanderjagt]]
{{col-end}}
===All-time first-round draft picks===
{{main|List of Indianapolis Colts first-round draft picks}}
{{ColtsFirstPick}}
==Coaches of note==
===Head coaches===
{{main|List of Indianapolis Colts head coaches}}
*[[Keith Molesworth]] (1953)
*[[Weeb Ewbank]] (1954-62)
*[[Don Shula]] (1963-69)
*[[Don McCafferty]] (1970-72)
*[[John Sandusky]] (1972)
*[[Howard Schnellenberger]] (1973-74)
*[[Joe Thomas (football coach)|Joe Thomas]] (1974)
*[[Ted Marchibroda]] (1975-79)
*[[Mike McCormack (football player)|Mike McCormack]] (1980-81)
*[[Frank Kush]] (1982-84)
*[[Rod Dowhower]] (1985-86)
*[[Ron Meyer]] (1986-91)
*[[Rick Venturi]] (1991)
*Ted Marchibroda (1992-95)
*[[Lindy Infante]] (1996-97)
*[[Jim E. Mora]] (1998-01)
*[[Tony Dungy]] (2002-present)
===Current staff===
{{Indianapolis Colts staff}}
==Radio and television==
The Colts' flagship station from 1984-1998 and again starting in the [[2007 NFL season|2007 season]] is WIBC 1070AM (renamed [[WFNI]] as of [[December 26]], 2007); under the new contract, games are simulcast on [[WLHK]] 97.1 FM. From 1998 through 2006, the Colts' flagship station was [[WFBQ]] 94.7FM (with additional programming on [[WNDE]] 1260AM). [[Bob Lamey]] is the team's [[play-by-play]] announcer, holding that title from 1984 to 1991 and again since 1995. Former [[Purdue Boilermakers|Purdue]] and Colts [[quarterback]] [[Mark Herrmann]] serves as color commentator. Former head coach [[Ted Marchibroda]] of both Baltimore and Indianapolis Colts franchises is also a popular commentator on the broadcasts. Mike Jansen serves as the public address announcer at all Colts home games. Mike has been the public address announcer since the 1998 season.
Preseason games not shown on national television are seen locally on [[WTTV|WTTV-4]], "Indiana's [[The CW Television Network|CW]]." [[Indiana Hoosiers]] announcer Don Fischer provides play-by-play. Regular-season [[Monday Night Football|Monday Night]] and [[NFL Network]] games are simulcast on [[WNDY-TV|WNDY-23]] and [[WTHR|WTHR-13]], respectively.
==References==
{{reflist}}
==See also==
*[[History of the Indianapolis Colts]]
*[[Indianapolis Colts seasons]]
*[[Indianapolis Colts draft history]]
*[[List of Indianapolis Colts first-round draft picks]]
*[[Colts-Patriots rivalry]]
*[[Chiefs-Colts rivalry]]
==External links==
* [http://www.colts.com/ Indianapolis Colts official web site]
* [http://www2.indystar.com/forums Colts Message Board]
{{Start}}
{{succession box
| title = Super Bowl Champions<br />Baltimore Colts
| years = [[Super Bowl V|1970]]
| before = [[Kansas City Chiefs]]<br>[[Super Bowl IV|1969]]
| after = [[Dallas Cowboys]]<br>[[Super Bowl VI|1971]]
}}
{{succession box
| title = Super Bowl Champions<br />Indianapolis Colts
| years = [[Super Bowl XLI|2006]]
| before = [[Pittsburgh Steelers]]<br>[[Super Bowl XL|2005]]
| after = [[New York Giants]]<br>[[Super Bowl XLII|2007]]
}}
{{end}}
{{Indianapolis Colts}}
{{Indianapolis Colts seasons}}
{{1958 Baltimore Colts}}
{{1959 Baltimore Colts}}
{{Super Bowl V}}
{{Super Bowl XLI}}
{{NFL}}
{{Indiana Sports}}
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[[Category:National Football League teams]]
[[Category:Sports clubs established in 1953]]
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