Indianapolis Colts Information
The Colts franchise began in 1953 when they were the Baltimore Colts. While residing in Baltimore, they captured four NFL Championships and one Super Bowl victory, Super Bowl V. One of those championship games was played in 1958 when Hall of Fame Quarterback Johnny Unitas led the team to an overtime victory defeating the New York Giants. That game would later be known to many as "The Greatest Game Ever Played."
After many attempts to persuade Baltimore city officials into helping him pay for a new stadium were ignored, owner Robert Irsay secretly negotiated a deal with the city of Indianapolis who made a large donation to help bring the team there. The team moved to Indianapolis in 1984 and would go on to play their home games in the Hoosier Dome, as it was first named.
Since 1984, the Colts have showcased a great deal of success and became one of the powerhouses in the AFC. They were able to capture Super Bowl XLI in 2007, beating the Chicago Bears 29-17 and solidifying Peyton Manning's place as one of the best QB's of his generation. The 2009 Colts finished the regular season with an impressive 14-2 record to give Manning league MVP rights. They advanced all the way to Super Bowl XLIV, where they eventually fell to the New Orleans Saints 31-17.
In 2010, the Colts placed first with a 10-6 record, but were defeated in the first round of the playoffs. 2011 marked a tough season for the Colts. With Manning out for the season, they played at 2-14. During the off-season, Manning and the Colts had a disagreement and Manning left to sign with the Denver Broncos.
In the aftermath of the Manning era, as well as the horrible 2011 season, the Colts will look to turn things around and start fresh in 2012.
