ICIndianapolis Colts

Franchise history

The Indianapolis Colts trace their identity to the Baltimore Colts franchise, which owner Robert Irsay relocated in one of the most dramatic moves in sports history. After stadium negotiations with Baltimore collapsed and the city threatened to seize the team through eminent domain, Irsay had Mayflower moving trucks quietly load the team's belongings overnight and depart for Indianapolis, arriving on the morning of March 29, 1984. The Colts kept their Baltimore colors — speed blue, white, and black — and their horseshoe logo, a nod to Maryland's horse-racing heritage that endures despite the franchise's new home.

In Indianapolis, the team played in the Hoosier Dome (renamed the RCA Dome) from 1984 to 2007 before moving into Lucas Oil Stadium in 2008. The franchise struggled through much of its first decade-plus in Indiana, but the 1998 draft selection of quarterback Peyton Manning transformed the Colts into perennial contenders. Under head coach Tony Dungy, Manning led Indianapolis to a decade of AFC South dominance and a Super Bowl XLI championship in February 2007, defeating the Chicago Bears 29-17. The Colts and New England Patriots developed one of the era's defining rivalries, built around Manning's duels with Tom Brady.

After Manning's release in 2012, the Colts drafted Andrew Luck first overall, but his career was cut short by injuries and a surprise 2019 retirement. Jim Irsay owned the team from 1997 until his death in 2025, when control passed to his daughters.

Sources

• Pro Football Reference
• Wikipedia
• History.com

Super Bowl Champions won (1)

• Super Bowl XLI - 2006

Runner-up finishes (1)

• Super Bowl XLIV - 2009

See the full super bowl champions list for the winner each of these years.