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 Indianapolis
Colts, professional football team and one of five teams in the
Eastern Division of the American Football Conference (AFC) of
the National Football League (NFL). Under the league’s
realignment plan, which will take affect in 2002, the Colts will
play in the South Division of the AFC. Formerly based in
Baltimore, Maryland, the Colts now play at the RCA Dome in
Indianapolis, Indiana, and wear uniforms of royal blue and
white. Piloted by quarterbacks Johnny Unitas and Earl Morrall,
the Colts captured four NFL championships from 1958 to 1971.
(The Super Bowl was not played until 1967, so only one of these
championships was a Super Bowl victory.) Unitas was one of
several future Hall of Fame members who played in the talented
lineups of head coaches Weeb Ewbank and Don Shula. The Colts
earned three consecutive division titles during the mid-1970s
under head coach Ted Marchibroda. Defensive end John Dutton,
quarterback Bert Jones, and running back Lydell Mitchell starred
on these teams. Professional football in Maryland dates to 1947,
when the Miami Seahawks of the All-America Football Conference (AAFC)
moved to Baltimore and became the Colts. In 1948 quarterback Y.
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A. Title won the league’s passing
championship as Baltimore tied for the
Eastern Division crown. A year later the
AAFC folded and the Colts joined the
NFL, but after two consecutive seasons
with 1-11 win-loss records, the
franchise was dissolved. The Colts were
reborn in 1953 when the NFL’s Dallas
Texans moved to Baltimore and took the
name Colts. Owner and business executive
Carroll Rosenbloom promptly engineered
the biggest trade in league history—a
deal that sent five Colts to the
Cleveland Browns in exchange for ten
players, including defensive back Don
Shula. Following four seasons of
rebuilding, the Colts captured
consecutive NFL titles in 1958 and 1959
under head coach Weeb Ewbank. Baltimore
assembled the league’s top offense both
years, with teams starring four future
Hall of Fame members. |
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The
passing combination of Johnny Unitas to
receiver Raymond Berry became one of the
most celebrated in league history. Lenny
Moore was one of the NFL’s most durable
running backs, and guard-tackle Jim Parker
anchored a superb offensive line. Linemen
Art Donovan and Gino Marchetti, also future
Hall of Fame members, led a tenacious
defense that held 16 of 26
opponents—including Baltimore’s two
championship game foes—to 21 or fewer points
in 1958 and 1959. Baltimore’s overtime
defeat of the New York Giants in the 1958
NFL Championship Game is regarded as one of
the greatest NFL contests ever played. A
year later, the Colts again bested the
Giants for the NFL crown. During the 1960s
Baltimore remained a dominant power in the
NFL as Unitas continued to power the team.
In 1960 he became the first NFL quarterback
to pass for more than 3,000 yards in one
season. Shula replaced Ewbank in 1963,
becoming one of the youngest head coaches in
NFL history at age 33. Over the next seven
seasons, he steered the Colts to four
first-place finishes in their division. In
1964 Baltimore recorded a club-record 12
victories, and Unitas collected the second
of his three most valuable player (MVP)
awards. Although they were favored in the
NFL Championship Game, the Colts lost to the
Cleveland Browns. The Colts enjoyed an
outstanding season in 1968, winning 13 of 14
games. Earl Morrall replaced the injured
Unitas and produced an MVP season, leading
the league in passing while throwing for
nearly 3,000 yards. John Mackey, who was one
of the first tight ends in professional
football to catch passes, combined with
Morrall to lead a Colt team that was heavily
favored to win the Super Bowl. The
NFL-champion Colts, however, were upset by
the American Football League (AFL)
champions, the New York Jets, who were led
by quarterback Joe Namath. Shula left
Baltimore in 1970 to take over the Miami
Dolphins.
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His replacement, Dan McCafferty, put
together the league’s most powerful
offense, and the team won the
Eastern Division title. The Colts
then advanced to the Super Bowl,
where they defeated the Dallas
Cowboys on a last-second field goal
by rookie Jim O’Brien. Three years
later, Unitas was traded for the
rights to select quarterback Bert
Jones in the 1973 NFL draft. After
Unitas’s departure, the Colts
suffered two losing seasons before
returning to prominence in 1975
under head coach Ted Marchibroda. A
potent offense starring Jones, wide
receiver Roger Carr, and running
back Lydell Mitchell powered
Baltimore to three consecutive
Eastern Division crowns from 1975 to
1977. The Colts lost in the first
round of the playoffs each season.
After having endured seven straight
losing seasons from 1978 to 1984,
and faced with dwindling fan
support, the Colts moved to
Indianapolis. |
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Led by running back Marshall Faulk and
quarterback Jim Harbaugh, the Colts
reached the AFC Championship Game in
1995, but they lost to the Pittsburgh
Steelers. In 1999 wide receiver Marvin
Harrison, running back Edgerrin James,
and quarterback Peyton Manning led the
team to the Eastern Division
championship, but the Colts lost to the
Tennessee Titans in the playoffs.
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