List of Indianapolis Colts seasons

Then-U.S. President George W. Bush congratulates the Colts on their Super Bowl XLI victory.

The Indianapolis Colts, formerly the Baltimore Colts, are an American football team playing in the National Football League (NFL). This list documents the season-by-season records of the Colts franchise from 1953 to present, including postseason records and league awards for individual players or head coaches. In 1953, a Baltimore-based group led by Carroll Rosenbloom gained the rights to a new Baltimore franchise. Rosenbloom was granted an NFL team, and was awarded the holdings of the defunct Dallas Texans organization, the descendant of the last remaining Ohio League founding APFA member Dayton Triangles.^[1] The new team kept the Triangles' blue and white color scheme and was named the Colts after the unrelated previous team that folded after the 1950 NFL season.^[2] After 31 seasons in Baltimore, Colts owner Robert Irsay moved the team to Indianapolis, Indiana.^[3]

The Colts have won two Super Bowl championships (Super Bowl V and Super Bowl XLI). They also played in and lost Super Bowl III and Super Bowl XLIV. Before the AFL and NFL merged in 1970,^[4] they won three NFL Championships (1958, 1959, and 1968). By winning Super Bowl XLI the Colts became the first team that played its home games in a domed stadium to win a Super Bowl held in an outdoor stadium.^[5][6]

After the Colts owner Jim Irsay hired Tony Dungy in 2002,^[7] the Colts made the playoffs for nine straight seasons. They won five straight AFC South titles from 2003 to 2007 and had seven consecutive seasons of 12 or more victories from 2003 to 2009, the first time that has been achieved in the NFL's 90-year history.^[8] Much of the team's success throughout the 2000s was attributed to the trio of general manager Bill Polian, coach Dungy, and quarterback Peyton Manning.^{[9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18]}

In the 2013 season, the Colts secured their first division championship since Manning's departure and first under quarterback Andrew Luck and head coach Chuck Pagano. As of 2023, they are the only team in the AFC South to win a Super Bowl (the Tennessee Titans have not won any Super Bowls either in Tennessee or in their previous incarnation as the Houston Oilers, while the Colts won the Super Bowl in 1970 while in Baltimore and the 2006 title while in Indianapolis).

Table key

Peyton Manning won four MVP awards during his career with the Colts.

Season records

All-time records

Notes

• a The Finish, Won, Lost, and Ties columns list regular season results and exclude any postseason play. Regular season and postseason results are combined only at the bottom of the list.
• b All regular season MVPs listed are the Associated Press MVP. For the full list of other MVPs see National Football League Most Valuable Player Award.
• c All Coach of the Year Awards listed are the Associated Press award. For the full list of other coaching awards see National Football League Coach of the Year Award.
• d This game would be later known as The Greatest Game Ever Played.^[42]
• e The 1967 NFL season marks the first season in the league's history where the league was divided into two conferences which were subdivided into two divisions. Up to 1967, the league was either divided into two divisions, two conferences, or neither.^[43]
• f The Colts and Dolphins finished tied. However, the Colts finished ahead of Miami in the AFC East based on a head-to-head sweep (2–0).^[44]
• g The Colts and Patriots finished tied. However, the Colts finished ahead of New England based on a better division record (7–1 to Patriots' 6–2).^[45]
• h The Colts and Dolphins finished tied. However, the Colts finished ahead of Miami based on better conference record (9–3 to Dolphins' 8–4).^[45]
• i The game involved the infamous Ghost to the Post play.^[46]
• j 1982 was a strike-shortened season so the league was divided up into two conferences instead of its normal divisional alignment.^[47]
• k A 24-day players' strike reduced the 16-game season to 15, causing week 3 to be canceled.^[48]
• l This was the last game played in the RCA Dome.^[49]
• m Arians served as interim head coach for twelve games during the season due to Pagano's leukemia diagnosis,^[50] posting a 9–3 record en route to the AP NFL Coach of the Year award.

References

General

• "Indianapolis Colts: History". CBS Sports. Archived from the original on October 18, 2011. Retrieved November 21, 2010.
• "Indianapolis Colts Franchise Encyclopedia". Pro Football Reference. Archived from the original on April 17, 2012. Retrieved April 24, 2012.
• "Indianapolis Colts History". Football @ JT-SW.com. John Troan. Archived from the original on August 15, 2012. Retrieved April 24, 2012.

Specific

1. MacCambridge, Michael (2004). America's Game: The Epic Story of How Pro Football Captured a Nation. New York City: Random House. pp. 78–79. ISBN 0-375-50454-0.
2. "Baltimore Colts Back In League". The Times-News. United Press. February 4, 1953. Archived from the original on December 14, 2020. Retrieved December 25, 2010.
3. "Colts: Team History". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on September 4, 2009. Retrieved February 17, 2007.
4. "This Day In History – Jun 8, 1966: NFL and AFL announce merger". History. Archived from the original on March 8, 2010. Retrieved December 25, 2010.
5. Trotter, Jim (February 5, 2007). "Colts prove naysayers wrong: Indianapolis becomes first dome team to win Super Bowl". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on February 2, 2013. Retrieved December 25, 2010.
6. Byrne, Kerry (January 13, 2010). "Kerry J. Byrne: Why dome teams struggle in playoffs". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on June 25, 2022. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
7. "Dungy hired as Colts head coach". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. January 22, 2002. Archived from the original on November 8, 2012. Retrieved December 25, 2010.
8. Banks, Don (August 6, 2010). "Colts' history shows team should avoid Super Bowl hangover". CNN Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on October 6, 2010. Retrieved December 26, 2010.
9. Richard, Phil. "Greatness by Design". Indianapolis Star. Archived from the original on December 25, 2007. Retrieved December 29, 2007.
10. Keefer, Zak. "Dungy and Harrison: Hall of Famers, together". The Indianapolis Star. Archived from the original on December 7, 2022. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
11. Wilson, Josh (May 27, 2013). "ESPN Ranks Dungy as NFL's 20th Best Coach Ever". Stampede Blue. Archived from the original on August 18, 2022. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
12. "Tony Dungy on Building Relationships With Athletes". SportsEngine. April 5, 2021. Archived from the original on October 6, 2022. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
13. "Bill Polian Lends His Expertise To Colts About General Manager Opening". www.colts.com. Archived from the original on May 19, 2022. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
14. Miller, Matt. "Peyton Manning, the Indianapolis Colts and the End of a Dynasty". Bleacher Report. Archived from the original on May 29, 2022. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
15. Smedley, Kyle (May 13, 2022). "Peyton Manning's 13 Seasons With The Indianapolis Colts, Ranked Worst To Best". TheSportster. Archived from the original on May 29, 2022. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
16. "Peyton Manning latest of 2000s Colts to reach Canton; more to come?". Fox 59. February 7, 2021. Archived from the original on October 22, 2021. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
17. Staff Writer. "Colts, Patriots still the gold standard". Columbia Daily Tribune. Archived from the original on October 7, 2022. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
18. "Colts, Patriots Make Arguments For Decade's Best Team". www.cbsnews.com. November 18, 2010. Archived from the original on June 25, 2022. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
19. "Alan Ameche Named Pro Rookie of Year". The Pittsburgh Press. United Press. December 19, 1955. Archived from the original on December 10, 2020. Retrieved December 20, 2010.
20. "Lenny Moore Pro Rookie of the Year". The Newburgh News. United Press. January 3, 1957. Archived from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved December 20, 2010.
21. "Johnny Unitas". Pro Football Reference. Archived from the original on November 15, 2013. Retrieved December 20, 2010.
22. "Shula Is Top Boss". Ocala Star-Banner. December 19, 1968. Archived from the original on December 9, 2020. Retrieved December 20, 2010.
23. "Earl Now Number 1". Ocala Star-Banner. Associated Press. December 19, 1968. Archived from the original on December 9, 2020. Retrieved December 20, 2010.
24. "Unitas Voted NFL's Man Of The Year". The Morning Record. Associated Press. January 11, 1971. Archived from the original on December 9, 2020. Retrieved December 20, 2010.
25. "Marchibroda is top coach". Rome News-Tribune. Associated Press. January 11, 1976. Archived from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved December 19, 2010.
26. "Colts' quarterback Bert Jones named 'Most Valuable Player'". Daily Union. Associated Press. December 30, 1976. Archived from the original on December 13, 2020. Retrieved December 19, 2010.
27. "Colts' linebacker named Defensive Rookie of Year". The Sumter Daily Item. Associated Press. December 22, 1983. Archived from the original on December 10, 2020. Retrieved December 19, 2010.
28. "Colts' Bickett notches rookie award on defense". The Fort Scott Tribune. Associated Press. January 2, 1986. Archived from the original on December 12, 2020. Retrieved December 19, 2010.
29. 2009 ESPN Sports Almanac. New York City: ESPN Books. 2008. p. 279. ISBN 978-0-345-51172-0.
30. "Faulk runs away with Associated Press rookie honor". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. Associated Press. December 28, 1994. Archived from the original on December 8, 2020. Retrieved December 19, 2010.
31. "AP Comeback Player of the Year winners". Pro Football Reference. Archived from the original on December 22, 2010. Retrieved December 21, 2010.
32. "James claims 49 of 50 Rookie of the Year votes". The Argus-Press. Associated Press. January 11, 2000. Archived from the original on December 13, 2020. Retrieved December 18, 2010.
33. "Peyton Manning wins record-tying third NFL MVP award". USA Today. Associated Press. January 3, 2009. Archived from the original on November 16, 2010. Retrieved December 12, 2010.
34. Wilner, Barry (January 6, 2005). "No surprise: Manning wins Offensive Player". The Victoria Advocate. Associated Press. Archived from the original on December 9, 2020. Retrieved December 18, 2010.
35. Mullin, John (February 5, 2006). "Payton Award goes to Peyton". The Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on September 13, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2010.
36. "Super Bowl History". National Football League. Archived from the original on February 23, 2011. Retrieved December 12, 2010.
37. "AP picks Colts' Sanders as top defensive player". ESPN. Associated Press. January 7, 2008. Archived from the original on March 2, 2009. Retrieved December 12, 2010.
38. "Manning claims fourth MVP in landslide". ESPN. Associated Press. January 9, 2010. Archived from the original on February 10, 2010. Retrieved December 12, 2010.
39. "Bruce Arians wins Coach of the Year for work with Colts". NFL.com. February 2, 2013. Archived from the original on March 28, 2013. Retrieved March 25, 2013.
40. "Colts' Darius Leonard wins Defensive Rookie of Year". NFL.com. Archived from the original on February 3, 2019. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
41. "Andrew Luck named AP Comeback Player of the Year". NFL.com. Archived from the original on February 3, 2019. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
42. "History Release: Greatest game ever played". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on May 15, 2013. Retrieved January 1, 2011.
43. 2000 National Football League Record & Fact Book. New York City: Workman Publishing Company. 2000. pp. 295–299. ISBN 0-7611-1982-5.
44. 2000 National Football League Record & Fact Book, p. 294.
45. 2000 National Football League Record & Fact Book, p. 293.
46. Reid, Ron (January 2, 1978). "The Ghost To The Post". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on February 13, 2011. Retrieved January 2, 2011.
47. 2000 National Football League Record & Fact Book, p. 292.
48. "Chronology Of Professional Football" (PDF). National Football League. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 21, 2010. Retrieved January 3, 2011.
49. Lapointe, Joe (January 14, 2008). "One Big Win, Two Huge Losses for Chargers". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 17, 2013. Retrieved January 2, 2011.
50. Smith, Michael David (October 1, 2012). "Colts coach Chuck Pagano diagnosed with leukemia". ProFootballTalk. Archived from the original on September 1, 2022. Retrieved September 1, 2022.

External links

• "NFL Football History". CBS Sportsline. Archived from the original on March 25, 2007. Retrieved February 17, 2007.
• "NFL.com – History – Yearly Standings". National Football League Official Website. Archived from the original on December 25, 2006. Retrieved February 17, 2007.