Indianapolis Colts facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Indianapolis Colts
Current season
Logo Wordmark Uniforms
Basic info
Established	January 23, 1953; 72 years ago (January 23, 1953)
Colors	Speed blue, white, facemask gray, anvil black
Mascot	Blue
Personnel
Owner(s)	Jim Irsay
CEO	Jim Irsay
General manager	Chris Ballard
Head coach	Shane Steichen
Team history
Baltimore Colts (1953–1983) Indianapolis Colts (1984–present)
Home fields
Memorial Stadium (1953–1983) RCA Dome (1984–2007) Lucas Oil Stadium (2008–present)
League / conference affiliations
National Football League (1953–present) Western Conference (1953–1969) Coastal Division (1967–1969) American Football Conference (1970–present) AFC East (1970–2001) AFC South (2002–present)
Championships
League championships: 4† NFL championships (pre-1970 AFL–NFL merger) (3) 1958, 1959, 1968 Super Bowl championships: 2 1970 (V), 2006 (XLI) † – Does not include 1968 NFL championship won during the same season that the Super Bowl was contested
Conference championships: 7 NFL Western: 1958, 1959, 1964, 1968 AFC: 1970, 2006, 2009
Division championships: 16 NFL Coastal: 1968 AFC East: 1970, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1987, 1999 AFC South: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014
Playoff appearances (29)
NFL: 1958, 1959, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1987, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2020
Owner(s)
Carroll Rosenbloom (1953–1972) Robert Irsay (1972–1997) Jim Irsay (1997–present)

The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team. They are based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Colts play in the National Football League (NFL). They are part of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since 2008, the Colts have played their home games at Lucas Oil Stadium. Before that, they played at the RCA Dome for over 20 years.

The Colts started in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1953. They were one of three NFL teams to join the AFC after the AFL–NFL merger in 1970. While in Baltimore, the team won three NFL Championship games. These wins were in 1958, 1959, and 1968. The Baltimore Colts also played in two Super Bowl games. They lost Super Bowl III to the New York Jets and won Super Bowl V against the Dallas Cowboys.

The team moved to Indianapolis in 1984. Since then, they have been in the playoffs many times. They have won two conference championships. They also played in two Super Bowls. They won Super Bowl XLI against the Chicago Bears. They lost Super Bowl XLIV to the New Orleans Saints.

History of the Colts

The Colts have a long and interesting history. They started in Baltimore and later moved to Indianapolis.

Early Years in Baltimore (1953–1971)

The team began as the Baltimore Colts in 1953. They were an expansion team in the NFL. Their first few years were tough. They didn't have a winning record until 1957.

Pro Football Hall of Fame player Johnny Unitas was the Colts' star quarterback from 1956 to 1972.

In 1958, with coach Weeb Ewbank and quarterback Johnny Unitas, the Colts had a great season. They went 9–3 and reached the NFL Championship Game. They beat the New York Giants 23–17 in a famous overtime game. This game is still known as one of the best in football history. The Colts won their second NFL title in 1959, again beating the Giants.

After these wins, the Colts hired a new coach, Don Shula, in 1963. In 1968, the Colts, still led by Unitas and Shula, won their third NFL Championship. They then played in Super Bowl III. Many thought the Colts would easily win. But they were upset by the New York Jets, losing 16–7. This was a big surprise in sports history.

In 1970, the Colts joined the American Football Conference (AFC) after the AFL–NFL merger. With new coach Don McCafferty, the team had a strong 11–2–1 record. They won the AFC East title. Baltimore then won Super Bowl V, beating the Dallas Cowboys 16–13. This was their first Super Bowl victory.

Moving to Indianapolis (1984)

The Indianapolis Colts played in the RCA Dome from 1984 until 2007.

The Colts played in Baltimore until 1983. The team's owner, Robert Irsay, wanted a new stadium. But the city of Baltimore couldn't agree on a plan. So, Irsay started looking at other cities. Indianapolis had built a new stadium, the Hoosier Dome (later the RCA Dome), hoping to get an NFL team.

On March 29, 1984, the Colts moved from Baltimore to Indianapolis overnight. Moving trucks from Indiana arrived in Maryland and quickly packed up everything. By midday, the team's belongings were on their way to Indianapolis. This move caused a lot of legal issues, but they were settled later.

When the Colts arrived in Indianapolis, fans were very excited. Over 143,000 requests for season tickets came in just two weeks. The team played their first game in Indianapolis in 1984.

Indianapolis Colts Era (1984–Present)

The Colts struggled for a while after moving. In 1987, they got star running back Eric Dickerson. They made the playoffs for the first time in Indianapolis that year. But they didn't have much success for several years after that.

In 1994, the Colts drafted Marshall Faulk and got quarterback Jim Harbaugh. The team started to improve. They made the playoffs in 1995 and 1996. In 1995, they almost reached the Super Bowl, losing a very close game in the AFC Championship.

The Peyton Manning Years (1998–2011)

Peyton Manning was the Colts' starting quarterback from 1998 to 2011.

In 1997, Robert Irsay passed away. His son, Jim Irsay, became the new owner. He made big changes. In 1998, the Colts drafted quarterback Peyton Manning as the first overall pick. Manning struggled in his first year, but the team quickly got better.

In 1999, the Colts drafted Edgerrin James. They went 13–3 and won their division. They became one of the best teams in the league.

In 2002, Tony Dungy became the head coach. Under Dungy and Manning, the Colts became a top team. They won their division many times. They often faced the New England Patriots and Tom Brady in the playoffs. These games became a big rivalry.

Super Bowl XLI Champions (2006)

In 2006, the Colts had a strong team. They went 12–4 and made the playoffs. They beat the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens. Then, they faced the Patriots in the AFC Championship. The Colts came back from a big deficit to win 38–34. This sent them to Super Bowl XLI.

In Super Bowl XLI, the Colts played the Chicago Bears. Indianapolis won the game 29–17. This was the first Super Bowl title for the Colts in Indianapolis. It was a huge moment for the team and the city.

Tony Dungy retired after the 2008 season. Jim Caldwell became the new head coach. In 2009, the Colts went 14–0 before resting their starters. They reached Super Bowl XLIV but lost to the New Orleans Saints 31–17.

Peyton Manning missed the entire 2011 season due to injury. The team struggled, finishing 2–14. After the season, Manning was released, ending an amazing era for the Colts.

The Andrew Luck Years (2012–2019)

Andrew Luck led the Colts to many playoff appearances.

In 2012, the Colts drafted quarterback Andrew Luck with the first overall pick. Luck quickly led the team to success. They went 11–5 in 2012, a big improvement from the previous year. They made the playoffs.

Luck continued to lead the Colts to the playoffs in 2013 and 2014. In 2014, he led the team to the AFC Championship game. This was the furthest he went in the playoffs.

After some injury struggles, Luck announced his retirement from the NFL in 2019. This was a surprise to many fans.

Recent Years (2019–Present)

After Luck's retirement, the Colts continued to try and build a strong team. They signed veteran quarterbacks like Philip Rivers and Carson Wentz. In 2020, Rivers led the team to an 11–5 record and a playoff spot.

In 2023, the Colts drafted quarterback Anthony Richardson. He showed promise but got injured during the season. Despite injuries to key players, the Colts finished the 2023 season with a 9–8 record. They just missed the playoffs.

Logos and Uniforms

The Colts' former wordmark logo, used from 1984 to 2019.

The Colts' helmets have been white with a blue stripe since 1956. The famous horseshoe logo appeared on each side of the helmet in 1957.

Their blue jerseys have white shoulder stripes. The white jerseys have blue stripes. The team also wears white pants with blue stripes. For a time, they wore gray pants with their blue jerseys.

In 2004, the Colts changed their blue color to a darker "speed blue." They also brought back gray facemasks. In 2017, they wore blue pants with their blue jerseys for the NFL Color Rush program.

In 2020, the team updated their wordmark logo and number fonts. They also added black as a new color, used for small details. In 2023, the Colts showed off a new alternate uniform. This included a black helmet and blue jersey with black trim.

Home Stadium

Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Indianapolis Colts.

The Colts play their home games at Lucas Oil Stadium. They moved there in 2008 after playing at the RCA Dome for 24 years. The stadium cost about $1 billion to build. Lucas Oil Products bought the naming rights for 20 years.

Lucas Oil Stadium can seat 63,000 fans for football games. It can hold even more people for other events. It has a retractable roof, so the Colts can play games outdoors. The stadium also has many concession stands, elevators, and luxury suites. It hosted Super Bowl XLVI in 2012.

Team Rivalries

The Colts have rivalries with several teams. Some are in their division, and some are older, historic rivalries.

Divisional Rivals

The Colts play in the AFC South division. This means they play the Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Tennessee Titans twice every year.

• Houston Texans: This is a newer rivalry. The Colts often won against the Texans when Peyton Manning was quarterback. But the Texans have become more competitive recently. The Colts lead the series, including a playoff win in 2018.
• Jacksonville Jaguars: The Colts have usually had the upper hand in this rivalry. The Jaguars have sometimes pulled off big upsets against the Colts. Both teams have become more competitive in the 2020s.
• Tennessee Titans: This is the oldest rivalry in the AFC South. The Colts and Titans have played each other since 1970. They often compete for the AFC South title. The Colts lead the overall series. They have met once in the playoffs, with the Titans winning in 2000.

Conference Rivalry

• New England Patriots: This rivalry became famous in the 2000s. It was fueled by the matchups between Colts quarterback Peyton Manning and Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. The Patriots won many early games, including playoff games. But the Colts later won important games, like the 2006 AFC Championship on their way to a Super Bowl win. The Patriots currently lead the all-time series.

Historic Rivalries

• New York Giants: The Colts played the New York Giants in two NFL Championship games in 1958 and 1959. The Colts won both games. In recent years, the rivalry was special because Peyton Manning (Colts) and Eli Manning (Giants) are brothers.
• New York Jets: The New York Jets famously upset the Colts in Super Bowl III. After the merger, the Colts and Jets were in the same division for many years. They have also met three times in the playoffs since 2002.
• Miami Dolphins: This rivalry started when the Colts joined the AFC. The Dolphins' coach, Don Shula, used to coach the Colts. The two teams often competed for the division title in the 1970s. They also had some dramatic games in the late 1990s.

Players of Note

Current Roster

Retired Numbers

The Colts have retired several jersey numbers to honor their greatest players.

Pro Football Hall of Famers

Many Colts players and coaches are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Ring of Honor

The Ring of Honor celebrates important people in Colts history. It was started in 1996.

Team Staff

Head Coaches

Team Stats and Records

Season Records

Here are the Colts' results for their last five seasons.

Team Records

Here are some of the all-time leaders for the Colts.

Images for kids

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  Memorial Stadium, home to the Baltimore Colts until 1983.

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  The Colts against Dallas in their first Super Bowl championship (V).

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  Indianapolis offensive line huddles during Super Bowl XLIV (2010)

See also

In Spanish: Indianapolis Colts para niños