Storied Baltimore franchise came to Indianapolis in 1984
For nearly 40 years the Colts called Baltimore home. During that time, with players such as Johnny Unitas and coaches such as Don Shula, the Colts enjoyed great success and popularity. The team won two World Championships, and the 1971 Super Bowl.
But after three more division titles in the mid-70s, the Colts went into a decline, posting a 2-14 record in 1980 and an 0-8-1 record in the strike-shortened 1982 season. Owner Robert Irsay, who acquired the Colts in 1972, wanted the city of Baltimore to upgrade its stadium. But with attendance dwindling and the team playing poorly, city officials were wary of such an investment. Relations between Irsay and the city worsened, and he began shopping his team around to other cities hungry for an NFL franchise.
Among the cities who very much wanted a team was Indianapolis. Under the administrations of mayors Richard Lugar and William Hudnut, the city was making an ambitious effort to reinvent itself into a `Great American City.' The Hoosier Dome (later renamed the RCA Dome) had been built and was ready for an NFL expansion team.
The deal to bring the Colts to Indianapolis came together in late March 1984 and Irsay and Hudnut arranged for the franchise to move from Baltimore immediately, and secretly, overnight, before the official announcement on March 29.
Since arriving in Indianapolis, the Colts have had many dismal seasons, interspersed with a few years that gave their fans hope. With the help of players such as Eric Dickerson and Jim Harbaugh, the team made the playoffs in 1987, 1995 and 1996. In 1995 the Colts just missed winning the AFC Championship game - and a trip to the Super Bowl - when a last-second pass was dropped in the end-zone.
In 1999, after two 3-13 seasons in a row, the Colts did a complete turnaround. Led by young quarterback Peyton Manning, and with running back Edgerrin James' potent running attack, the team posted a 13-3 record, and won the AFC East. Going into the 2000 season, with Manning, James, Marvin Harrison and other promising young players still reaching their full potential, the post-season was no longer enough. Now they, and their fans, wanted the Super Bowl.
HISTORY OF THE TEAM 1946-1984:
1940s: The Colts franchise was established in December 1946, when the bankrupt Miami Seahawks of the All-American Football Conference were purchased by a group headed by Bob Rodenberg. They were relocated to Baltimore and renamed the Colts. The Baltimore Colts played their first game on Sept. 7, 1947, defeating the Brooklyn Dodgers. The All-American Football Conference and the National Football League merged in 1950. The Colts had a 1-11 record in both 1949 and 1950 and the team was dissolved in January 1951 because of its failing financial condition.
1950s: In January 1953 Carroll Rosenbloom moved the NFL's Dallas franchise to Baltimore where they kept the Colts name but adopted the Dallas colors of blue and white. In 1954 Weeb Ewbank was hired as head coach, a position he held for nine seasons - the longest tenure of any Colts head coach. On Dec. 28, 1958, the Colts defeated the New York Giants 23-17 for the "World Championship" (the precurser to the Super Bowl , in what would later be called "The Greatest Game Ever Played". They repeated as champions in 1959, again defeating the New York Giants.
1960s: Don Shula became head coach in January 1963. Led by quarterback Johnny Unitas, in 1964 the team won a club record 11 consecutive games. That year Raymond Berry caught his 506th career pass and Lenny Moore scored 20 touchdowns - both NFL records at the time. Under Shula the Colts made their first Super Bowl appearance in January 1969, losing to the New York Jets 16-7. In 1969 the NFL and the AFL merged and the Colts, and the other former AFL teams, became the American Football Conference of the NFL.
1970s: On Jan. 17, 1971 the Colts won Super Bowl V. They defeated the Dallas Cowboys 16-13 by kicking a field goal with five seconds remaining in the game. In July 1972 Robert Irsay acquired the Colts from Rosenbloom in exchange for the Los Angeles Rams. In 1975 Lydell Mitchell became the first Colt to rush for 1,000 yards in a season, gaining 1,193 yards on 289 carries. Ted Marchibroda became head coach in February 1975 and led the Colts to three consecutive Eastern Division titles before posting back-to-back 5-11 seasons and being fired.
1980-1984: Mike McCormack replaced Marchibroda in January 1980. In December 1981, following a 2-14 season, (worst in Colts' history up to that point) Frank Kush was named coach. In 1982 a player strike resulted in each team playing only a nine-game schedule. The Colts' 1982 record was 0-8-1, which assured them the first pick in the 1983 draft. They took John Elway but six days later traded him to Denver for Chris Hinton and Mark Herrmann. Attendance in Baltimore was falling, the city refused requests to refurbish the stadium and rumors were rampant as early as mid-1983 that Irsay was looking to move the team.
COLTS MOVE TO INDIANAPOLIS
Meanwhile, in Indianapolis, thanks to the efforts of local real estate developer Robert Welch, and the decision to build the Hoosier Dome, hopes were high that the city would be getting an NFL expansion team, with Welch as team owner. However, in January 1984, NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle annnounced that expansion had been put on hold.
Then came word that Robert Irsay was unhappy in Baltimore and shopping his Colts around. Indiana Pacers' owner Herb Simon made the initial contact with Colts officials and on February 13, Colts representatives came to town to look at the Hoosier Dome. Negotiations with Indianapolis, and several other cities, were reported during the next six weeks amid speculation that Irsay was only pretending to negotiate to get a better deal in Baltimore.
In the midst of the Colts negotiations, Welch confirmed that he had been in talks with New Orleans Saints owner John Mecom about buying the team and moving it to Indianapolis. But Mecom decided he wanted to keep the team in New Orleans. Upon hearing that the Colts might relocate, Mayor Bill Hudnut formed what came to be called the "706 Club" (the number of the room in the Columbia Club where they met), composed of David Frick (who was the chief negotiator of the ultimate deal with Irsay), Nick Frenzel, James T. Morris, Herb Simon, P.E. MacAllister and Tom Moses. On February 26, Hudnut met with Welch, who led the movement to build the Hoosier Dome and bring professional football to Indianapolis, to tell him about the Colts and to seek his support. Those working to acquire the team endured a month of planning, negotiating, frustration, uncertainty and rumors that the Colts were going elsewhere, or not moving at all. Phoenix businessmen withdrew their offer the morning of March 28 and Irsay called Hudnut that afternoon and told him the team was coming. Hudnut immediately called John B. Smith, his friend, neighbor and chief executive officer of Mayflower Transit Co., and the moving vans were on their way.
The vans arrived that night in Owings Mills, in suburban Baltimore, and in a late-season snow storm were loaded with business records, official books and equipment and the move to Indianapolis was on, with Mayflower picking up the tab. Once loaded, the vans headed in various directions in an effort to camouflage the move. The dramatic move enraged citizens and officials of Baltimore, and the state of Maryland. Irsay's son Jim said moving the team was a difficult decision, and one his father had hoped not to have to make. The final straw, necessitating the dramatic move, was action by the Maryland legislature to use eminent domain laws to force the franchise to remain in Maryland.
Mayor Hudnut held a press conference March 29 to announce an agreement had been reached and the team was moving to Indianapolis. The deal was sealed March 30 with approval by the Capital Improvement Board, which operated the Hoosier Dome. A legal battle ensued, which ultimately reached the U.S. Supreme Court, and bills were filed in both the U.S. House and Senate seeking to block the move. In December 1985, a U.S. District Court judge threw out the lawsuit which sought to return the team to Maryland. In March 1986, an agreement was reached between the city of Baltimore and the Colts. It allowed for dismissal of all suits seeking to return the team, and for the Indianapolis Colts organization to endorse a new NFL team for Baltimore.
RCA DOME - Indianapolis
The grand opening of the $77.5 million Hoosier Dome (the original name) was May 3, 1984.
The dome is 19 stories tall and has 348,480 square feet.
The number of permanent seats: 56,127 - including 104 luxury suites and 4,532 club seats. Record attendance for a single event was 67,596 for the U.S. Olympic team vs. the NBA All-Stars on July 9, 1984.
In 1994, Thomson Consumer Electronics signed a $10 million, 10-year contract with the Capital Improvement Board changing the name of the Hoosier Dome to the RCA Dome. Thomson can extend the deal for another five or 10 years. A full 20-year deal would result in a payment of $23.5 million.
In 1998, The Colts renegotiated their lease with the city. For details on the new lease see Highlights of the Colts agreement below.
1984: This was the Colts' first season in Indianapolis. Jim Irsay was named general manager of the team. Frank Kush was head coach - until the final game when he was replaced by Hal Hunter. Prior to the start of the season the team received 143,000 requests in two weeks for season tickets. The Colts had two first-round draft picks in 1984. They chose Leonard Coleman and Ron Solt. Coleman could not reach an agreement with the Colts until early in 1985, and spent 1984 playing in the U.S. Football League. Other notable picks that year included Kevin Call in the 5th round and Eugene Daniel in the 8th. The Colts finished the 1984 season with 4 wins and 12 losses.
1985: Rod Dowhower was named head coach in January 1985. The Colts' first-round draft pick was linebacker Duane Bickett. Their record was 5-11 but they finished the season strong, winning their last two games and averaging 5.0 yards per attempt to lead the NFL. Rohn Stark won his second NFL punting title.
1986: The Colts drafted Jon Hand in the first round, Jack Trudeau in the 2nd and Bill Brooks in the 4th round. More than 10,000 fans visited the new Colts Complex during an open house. The team had a terrible season, losing the first 13 games before winning the last 3. Dowhower was replaced by Ron Meyer on Dec. 1.
1987: The Colts' number one draft pick was Cornelius Bennett. Two weeks into the regular season the players went on a 24-day strike. One week of games was cancelled, and for three weeks the teams played with replacement players. On Oct. 31 the Colts obtained Eric Dickerson from the L.A. Rams for six draft picks and two players. The deal also involved Buffalo, sending Cornelius Bennett from the Colts to the Bills. The Colts finished the season 9-6 and clinched the AFC East title but lost to Cleveland in the divisional playoff game.
1988: Due to the Dickerson trade the Colts had no draft pick until the third round when they took quarterback Chris Chandler. In the Colts' first Monday Night Football appearance they defeated Denver 55-23 before an ecstatic Halloween night crowd. Dickerson became the first Colt since Alan Ameche in 1955 to win the NFL rushing title, and the first ever to top 2,000 yards in a season. The Colts finished the season 9-7, and did not make the playoffs.
1989: Andre Rison was the Colts' first-round draft pick. On Sept. 10 Dickerson surpassed the 10,000 rushing yards mark in his 91st career game - the quickest pace ever. The team again finished the season 9-7 but did not make the playoffs because of a 41-6 loss to New Orleans in the last game.
1990: The Colts traded Chris Hinton, Andre Rison and draft picks to Atlanta for the first pick of the 1990 draft so they could choose Indianapolis native and quarterback Jeff George. Eric Dickerson, after boycotting training camp and refusing to take physicals, was placed on the non-football injury list for six weeks. He was subsequently suspended four weeks for conduct detrimental to the team and forfeited $750,000 in wages and fines. The team finished the season 7-9.
1991: Indianapolis had no first-round draft pick, but chose Shane Curry in Round-Two. Rick Venturi succeeded Ron Meyer as coach on Oct. 1. The team finished the season an NFL-worst 1-15.
1992: Ted Marchibroda was, once again, named head coach of the Colts on Jan. 28. For the second time he led the Colts to an NFL-best eight-game, one-season turnaround. The Colts had two first-round draft picks and chose Steve Emtman and Quentin Coryatt. In April, the Colts traded Eric Dickerson to the Los Angeles Raiders, ending his sometimes rocky 4 1/2 years with the team. On May 3, 1992, second-year defensive end Shane Curry was shot to death outside a Cincinnati nightclub in a dispute over a car blocking the nightclub's driveway. Then, in a disastrous public relations move, the Colts cut Mark Herrmann the day after he led a season-opening victory at home over Cleveland - and one week after another popular player, Albert Bentley, had been let go. The Colts finished the season 9-7.
1993: Sean Dawkins was the Colts' first-round pick. They suffered all year from the lack of a running game, a passing game (20 quarters without a touchdown) or an effective defense. Amid dwindling crowds, the Colts wobbled into the offseason with a 4-12 record. They ended the year with a four-game losing streak, and had eight losses in their last nine games.
1994: In January, the Colts brought in Bill Tobin as `Vice President of All Football Operations'. In March, Jeff George was traded to the Atlanta Falcons. Then, in an effort to revive their anemic running game, the Colts drafted Marshall Faulk. Trev Alberts was their other first-round draft pick. Despite going undefeated in the preseason the Colts opened the regular season with an all-time low attendance of 47,372. The Colts finished 8-8 - out of the playoffs.
1995: The Colts' first-round draft pick was Ellis Johnson; and in the second round, Ken Dilger. The Colts entered the season with high hopes. "Captain Comeback" Jim Harbaugh became the starting quarterback in Week Three and ended the season as the NFL's top-rated passer. He led the "Cardiac Colts" to a 9-7 season and a trip to the playoffs. In the playoffs, the underdog Colts defeated San Diego and Kansas City. But, in the AFC championship game, they lost a heartbreaker to Pittsburgh 20-16 when a last-second Hail-Mary pass was dropped in the end-zone by Aaron Bailey.
1996: In February, in another unpopular move, and despite the success of the 1995 season, the Colts offered head coach Ted Marchibroda only a one-year contract deal which he turned down. Marchibroda, whose 73 career victories with the Colts tied Shula, was replaced by Lindy Infante. Also in February, Robert Irsay's wife, Nancy, and his son, Jim, filed petitions seeking guardianship of his estate while he remained incapacitated from a stroke he had suffered the previous November.Wide receiver Marvin Harrison was the Colts' first-round choice. The Colts finished 9-7, despite being plagued with injuries, and again made the playoffs. They lost, again to Pittsburgh, in a 42-14 thrashing.
1997: Colts owner Robert Irsay died Jan. 14 and the team passed to his son, Jim. The first-round draft pick was Tarik Glenn. Adam Meadows was acquired in the second round. Indicative of the ongoing frustration and futility of the team, was a confrontation between Jim Harbaugh and Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly during which Harbaugh broke his hand. The injury-plagued Colts did not win a game until the 11th game of the season, and finished the year 3-13. Assuming responsibility for his team, Jim Irsay cleaned house in December, firing both coach Linde Infante and director of football operations Bill Tobin. He then named Bill Polian president of the team.
1998: Jim Mora succeeded Infante as head coach Jan. 12. Also in January, Jim Irsay and the city agreed to a revised lease at the RCA Dome which provided the Colts with $8 million a year in dome-generated revenues and assured the city the team will be here at least 10 more years. The Colts chose Peyton Manning with their first pick (number one overall) of the draft. The Colts once again finished the season 3-13. Despite the dismal season record, Manning showed great promise and Marshall Faulk was named to the Pro Bowl.
1999: The Colts' first-round draft pick was running back Edgerrin James, a surprise to many who thought they would take Ricky Williams, the Heisman Trophy winner. Two days before the draft, Marshall Faulk was traded to the St. Louis Rams. Third-round pick, Brandon Burlsworth, was killed in an automobile accident in Arkansas April 28. James caught on quickly and Manning and Marvin Harrison clicked as a potent passing combination. In October, Steve Muhammad's wife died as did the baby she was carrying when she went into premature labor following a car accident. After her death it was revealed that 10 days before the accident Muhammad had been arrested for battery on his pregnant wife. The Colts finished the season 13-3 - in what was the greatest one-year turnaround in NFL history - and won the AFC East. They hosted Indianapolis' first post-season playoff game but were defeated by the Tennessee Titans 19-16. Manning, Harrison and James were all chosen for the Pro Bowl.
2000: The Colts and their fans entered the 2000 season with high expectations. After winning the AFC East with a 13-3 record in 1999, and with young stars Peyton Manning and Edgerrin James just hitting their strides many predicted this would be the year the Colts would do even better and march straight to the Super Bowl. Jim Irsay even talked about winning three Super Bowls in a row. But things didn't quite turn out that way. The Colts' offense had impressive moments, sprinting through defenders with a no-huddle offense that left their opponents little time to catch their breath. But the Indianapolis defense was erratic - sometimes performing well but more often seeming unable to do what had to be done at crucial moments. Eight games into the season the Colts were 6-2, though some of the wins had been heart-stoppers with last-minute heroics overcoming earlier mistakes. Then they lost four of the next five games, and suddenly even making it into playoffs was in doubt. With three games left in the season the Colts only chance was to win all three - and they did. They earned a wildcard spot in the playoffs, but lost the game 23-17 to the Miami Dolphins. The organization entered the off-season knowing the area most in need of attention was the defense.
2001: The 2001 season was, once again, a major disappointment. The team finished 6-10, managing only two wins in its last nine games. And, as in 2000, the defense took the brunt of the criticism. It ranked No. 30 in total yards allowed, tied for No. 26 in generating takeaways and No. 31 in points allowed. But the defense wasn't the only problem. The special teams' performance was often really bad and Peyton Manning was plagued by turnovers. The team was also hurt by injuries throughout the season, the most serious occuring on Oct. 25, when running back Edgerrin James was lost for the season with a knee injury. Coach Jim Mora was fired with one year remaining on his contract and Tony Dungy, who had been fired as coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was given a five-year contract to coach the Colts on Jan. 22, 2002.
2002: The Colts finished the 2002 season with a 10-6 record, earning a wild-card slot in the playoffs. In that game however, the Colts were humiliated with a 41-0 shutout at the hands of the New York Jets. Marvin Harrison had a stellar year, breaking several club and NFL records, but running back Edgerrin James was hampered by injuries most of the season. Peyton Manning was often brilliant but threw 19 interceptions, most of them in games the Colts went on to lose. In a troubling pattern, the Colts repeatedly squandered the first half of a game, often falling so far behind that despite second half rallies, they could not overcome the deficit.
Indianapolis Colts 2003 Here
http:///library/factfiles/sports/football-pro/indpls_colts/history/colts.html
For nearly 40 years the Colts called Baltimore home. During that time, with players such as Johnny Unitas and coaches such as Don Shula, the Colts enjoyed great success and popularity. The team won two World Championships, and the 1971 Super Bowl.
But after three more division titles in the mid-70s, the Colts went into a decline, posting a 2-14 record in 1980 and an 0-8-1 record in the strike-shortened 1982 season. Owner Robert Irsay, who acquired the Colts in 1972, wanted the city of Baltimore to upgrade its stadium. But with attendance dwindling and the team playing poorly, city officials were wary of such an investment. Relations between Irsay and the city worsened, and he began shopping his team around to other cities hungry for an NFL franchise.
Among the cities who very much wanted a team was Indianapolis. Under the administrations of mayors Richard Lugar and William Hudnut, the city was making an ambitious effort to reinvent itself into a `Great American City.' The Hoosier Dome (later renamed the RCA Dome) had been built and was ready for an NFL expansion team.
The deal to bring the Colts to Indianapolis came together in late March 1984 and Irsay and Hudnut arranged for the franchise to move from Baltimore immediately, and secretly, overnight, before the official announcement on March 29.
Since arriving in Indianapolis, the Colts have had many dismal seasons, interspersed with a few years that gave their fans hope. With the help of players such as Eric Dickerson and Jim Harbaugh, the team made the playoffs in 1987, 1995 and 1996. In 1995 the Colts just missed winning the AFC Championship game - and a trip to the Super Bowl - when a last-second pass was dropped in the end-zone.
In 1999, after two 3-13 seasons in a row, the Colts did a complete turnaround. Led by young quarterback Peyton Manning, and with running back Edgerrin James' potent running attack, the team posted a 13-3 record, and won the AFC East. Going into the 2000 season, with Manning, James, Marvin Harrison and other promising young players still reaching their full potential, the post-season was no longer enough. Now they, and their fans, wanted the Super Bowl.
HISTORY OF THE TEAM 1946-1984:
1940s: The Colts franchise was established in December 1946, when the bankrupt Miami Seahawks of the All-American Football Conference were purchased by a group headed by Bob Rodenberg. They were relocated to Baltimore and renamed the Colts. The Baltimore Colts played their first game on Sept. 7, 1947, defeating the Brooklyn Dodgers. The All-American Football Conference and the National Football League merged in 1950. The Colts had a 1-11 record in both 1949 and 1950 and the team was dissolved in January 1951 because of its failing financial condition.
1950s: In January 1953 Carroll Rosenbloom moved the NFL's Dallas franchise to Baltimore where they kept the Colts name but adopted the Dallas colors of blue and white. In 1954 Weeb Ewbank was hired as head coach, a position he held for nine seasons - the longest tenure of any Colts head coach. On Dec. 28, 1958, the Colts defeated the New York Giants 23-17 for the "World Championship" (the precurser to the Super Bowl , in what would later be called "The Greatest Game Ever Played". They repeated as champions in 1959, again defeating the New York Giants.
1960s: Don Shula became head coach in January 1963. Led by quarterback Johnny Unitas, in 1964 the team won a club record 11 consecutive games. That year Raymond Berry caught his 506th career pass and Lenny Moore scored 20 touchdowns - both NFL records at the time. Under Shula the Colts made their first Super Bowl appearance in January 1969, losing to the New York Jets 16-7. In 1969 the NFL and the AFL merged and the Colts, and the other former AFL teams, became the American Football Conference of the NFL.
1970s: On Jan. 17, 1971 the Colts won Super Bowl V. They defeated the Dallas Cowboys 16-13 by kicking a field goal with five seconds remaining in the game. In July 1972 Robert Irsay acquired the Colts from Rosenbloom in exchange for the Los Angeles Rams. In 1975 Lydell Mitchell became the first Colt to rush for 1,000 yards in a season, gaining 1,193 yards on 289 carries. Ted Marchibroda became head coach in February 1975 and led the Colts to three consecutive Eastern Division titles before posting back-to-back 5-11 seasons and being fired.
1980-1984: Mike McCormack replaced Marchibroda in January 1980. In December 1981, following a 2-14 season, (worst in Colts' history up to that point) Frank Kush was named coach. In 1982 a player strike resulted in each team playing only a nine-game schedule. The Colts' 1982 record was 0-8-1, which assured them the first pick in the 1983 draft. They took John Elway but six days later traded him to Denver for Chris Hinton and Mark Herrmann. Attendance in Baltimore was falling, the city refused requests to refurbish the stadium and rumors were rampant as early as mid-1983 that Irsay was looking to move the team.
COLTS MOVE TO INDIANAPOLIS
Meanwhile, in Indianapolis, thanks to the efforts of local real estate developer Robert Welch, and the decision to build the Hoosier Dome, hopes were high that the city would be getting an NFL expansion team, with Welch as team owner. However, in January 1984, NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle annnounced that expansion had been put on hold.
Then came word that Robert Irsay was unhappy in Baltimore and shopping his Colts around. Indiana Pacers' owner Herb Simon made the initial contact with Colts officials and on February 13, Colts representatives came to town to look at the Hoosier Dome. Negotiations with Indianapolis, and several other cities, were reported during the next six weeks amid speculation that Irsay was only pretending to negotiate to get a better deal in Baltimore.
In the midst of the Colts negotiations, Welch confirmed that he had been in talks with New Orleans Saints owner John Mecom about buying the team and moving it to Indianapolis. But Mecom decided he wanted to keep the team in New Orleans. Upon hearing that the Colts might relocate, Mayor Bill Hudnut formed what came to be called the "706 Club" (the number of the room in the Columbia Club where they met), composed of David Frick (who was the chief negotiator of the ultimate deal with Irsay), Nick Frenzel, James T. Morris, Herb Simon, P.E. MacAllister and Tom Moses. On February 26, Hudnut met with Welch, who led the movement to build the Hoosier Dome and bring professional football to Indianapolis, to tell him about the Colts and to seek his support. Those working to acquire the team endured a month of planning, negotiating, frustration, uncertainty and rumors that the Colts were going elsewhere, or not moving at all. Phoenix businessmen withdrew their offer the morning of March 28 and Irsay called Hudnut that afternoon and told him the team was coming. Hudnut immediately called John B. Smith, his friend, neighbor and chief executive officer of Mayflower Transit Co., and the moving vans were on their way.
The vans arrived that night in Owings Mills, in suburban Baltimore, and in a late-season snow storm were loaded with business records, official books and equipment and the move to Indianapolis was on, with Mayflower picking up the tab. Once loaded, the vans headed in various directions in an effort to camouflage the move. The dramatic move enraged citizens and officials of Baltimore, and the state of Maryland. Irsay's son Jim said moving the team was a difficult decision, and one his father had hoped not to have to make. The final straw, necessitating the dramatic move, was action by the Maryland legislature to use eminent domain laws to force the franchise to remain in Maryland.
Mayor Hudnut held a press conference March 29 to announce an agreement had been reached and the team was moving to Indianapolis. The deal was sealed March 30 with approval by the Capital Improvement Board, which operated the Hoosier Dome. A legal battle ensued, which ultimately reached the U.S. Supreme Court, and bills were filed in both the U.S. House and Senate seeking to block the move. In December 1985, a U.S. District Court judge threw out the lawsuit which sought to return the team to Maryland. In March 1986, an agreement was reached between the city of Baltimore and the Colts. It allowed for dismissal of all suits seeking to return the team, and for the Indianapolis Colts organization to endorse a new NFL team for Baltimore.
RCA DOME - Indianapolis
The grand opening of the $77.5 million Hoosier Dome (the original name) was May 3, 1984.
The dome is 19 stories tall and has 348,480 square feet.
The number of permanent seats: 56,127 - including 104 luxury suites and 4,532 club seats. Record attendance for a single event was 67,596 for the U.S. Olympic team vs. the NBA All-Stars on July 9, 1984.
In 1994, Thomson Consumer Electronics signed a $10 million, 10-year contract with the Capital Improvement Board changing the name of the Hoosier Dome to the RCA Dome. Thomson can extend the deal for another five or 10 years. A full 20-year deal would result in a payment of $23.5 million.
In 1998, The Colts renegotiated their lease with the city. For details on the new lease see Highlights of the Colts agreement below.
1984: This was the Colts' first season in Indianapolis. Jim Irsay was named general manager of the team. Frank Kush was head coach - until the final game when he was replaced by Hal Hunter. Prior to the start of the season the team received 143,000 requests in two weeks for season tickets. The Colts had two first-round draft picks in 1984. They chose Leonard Coleman and Ron Solt. Coleman could not reach an agreement with the Colts until early in 1985, and spent 1984 playing in the U.S. Football League. Other notable picks that year included Kevin Call in the 5th round and Eugene Daniel in the 8th. The Colts finished the 1984 season with 4 wins and 12 losses.
1985: Rod Dowhower was named head coach in January 1985. The Colts' first-round draft pick was linebacker Duane Bickett. Their record was 5-11 but they finished the season strong, winning their last two games and averaging 5.0 yards per attempt to lead the NFL. Rohn Stark won his second NFL punting title.
1986: The Colts drafted Jon Hand in the first round, Jack Trudeau in the 2nd and Bill Brooks in the 4th round. More than 10,000 fans visited the new Colts Complex during an open house. The team had a terrible season, losing the first 13 games before winning the last 3. Dowhower was replaced by Ron Meyer on Dec. 1.
1987: The Colts' number one draft pick was Cornelius Bennett. Two weeks into the regular season the players went on a 24-day strike. One week of games was cancelled, and for three weeks the teams played with replacement players. On Oct. 31 the Colts obtained Eric Dickerson from the L.A. Rams for six draft picks and two players. The deal also involved Buffalo, sending Cornelius Bennett from the Colts to the Bills. The Colts finished the season 9-6 and clinched the AFC East title but lost to Cleveland in the divisional playoff game.
1988: Due to the Dickerson trade the Colts had no draft pick until the third round when they took quarterback Chris Chandler. In the Colts' first Monday Night Football appearance they defeated Denver 55-23 before an ecstatic Halloween night crowd. Dickerson became the first Colt since Alan Ameche in 1955 to win the NFL rushing title, and the first ever to top 2,000 yards in a season. The Colts finished the season 9-7, and did not make the playoffs.
1989: Andre Rison was the Colts' first-round draft pick. On Sept. 10 Dickerson surpassed the 10,000 rushing yards mark in his 91st career game - the quickest pace ever. The team again finished the season 9-7 but did not make the playoffs because of a 41-6 loss to New Orleans in the last game.
1990: The Colts traded Chris Hinton, Andre Rison and draft picks to Atlanta for the first pick of the 1990 draft so they could choose Indianapolis native and quarterback Jeff George. Eric Dickerson, after boycotting training camp and refusing to take physicals, was placed on the non-football injury list for six weeks. He was subsequently suspended four weeks for conduct detrimental to the team and forfeited $750,000 in wages and fines. The team finished the season 7-9.
1991: Indianapolis had no first-round draft pick, but chose Shane Curry in Round-Two. Rick Venturi succeeded Ron Meyer as coach on Oct. 1. The team finished the season an NFL-worst 1-15.
1992: Ted Marchibroda was, once again, named head coach of the Colts on Jan. 28. For the second time he led the Colts to an NFL-best eight-game, one-season turnaround. The Colts had two first-round draft picks and chose Steve Emtman and Quentin Coryatt. In April, the Colts traded Eric Dickerson to the Los Angeles Raiders, ending his sometimes rocky 4 1/2 years with the team. On May 3, 1992, second-year defensive end Shane Curry was shot to death outside a Cincinnati nightclub in a dispute over a car blocking the nightclub's driveway. Then, in a disastrous public relations move, the Colts cut Mark Herrmann the day after he led a season-opening victory at home over Cleveland - and one week after another popular player, Albert Bentley, had been let go. The Colts finished the season 9-7.
1993: Sean Dawkins was the Colts' first-round pick. They suffered all year from the lack of a running game, a passing game (20 quarters without a touchdown) or an effective defense. Amid dwindling crowds, the Colts wobbled into the offseason with a 4-12 record. They ended the year with a four-game losing streak, and had eight losses in their last nine games.
1994: In January, the Colts brought in Bill Tobin as `Vice President of All Football Operations'. In March, Jeff George was traded to the Atlanta Falcons. Then, in an effort to revive their anemic running game, the Colts drafted Marshall Faulk. Trev Alberts was their other first-round draft pick. Despite going undefeated in the preseason the Colts opened the regular season with an all-time low attendance of 47,372. The Colts finished 8-8 - out of the playoffs.
1995: The Colts' first-round draft pick was Ellis Johnson; and in the second round, Ken Dilger. The Colts entered the season with high hopes. "Captain Comeback" Jim Harbaugh became the starting quarterback in Week Three and ended the season as the NFL's top-rated passer. He led the "Cardiac Colts" to a 9-7 season and a trip to the playoffs. In the playoffs, the underdog Colts defeated San Diego and Kansas City. But, in the AFC championship game, they lost a heartbreaker to Pittsburgh 20-16 when a last-second Hail-Mary pass was dropped in the end-zone by Aaron Bailey.
1996: In February, in another unpopular move, and despite the success of the 1995 season, the Colts offered head coach Ted Marchibroda only a one-year contract deal which he turned down. Marchibroda, whose 73 career victories with the Colts tied Shula, was replaced by Lindy Infante. Also in February, Robert Irsay's wife, Nancy, and his son, Jim, filed petitions seeking guardianship of his estate while he remained incapacitated from a stroke he had suffered the previous November.Wide receiver Marvin Harrison was the Colts' first-round choice. The Colts finished 9-7, despite being plagued with injuries, and again made the playoffs. They lost, again to Pittsburgh, in a 42-14 thrashing.
1997: Colts owner Robert Irsay died Jan. 14 and the team passed to his son, Jim. The first-round draft pick was Tarik Glenn. Adam Meadows was acquired in the second round. Indicative of the ongoing frustration and futility of the team, was a confrontation between Jim Harbaugh and Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly during which Harbaugh broke his hand. The injury-plagued Colts did not win a game until the 11th game of the season, and finished the year 3-13. Assuming responsibility for his team, Jim Irsay cleaned house in December, firing both coach Linde Infante and director of football operations Bill Tobin. He then named Bill Polian president of the team.
1998: Jim Mora succeeded Infante as head coach Jan. 12. Also in January, Jim Irsay and the city agreed to a revised lease at the RCA Dome which provided the Colts with $8 million a year in dome-generated revenues and assured the city the team will be here at least 10 more years. The Colts chose Peyton Manning with their first pick (number one overall) of the draft. The Colts once again finished the season 3-13. Despite the dismal season record, Manning showed great promise and Marshall Faulk was named to the Pro Bowl.
1999: The Colts' first-round draft pick was running back Edgerrin James, a surprise to many who thought they would take Ricky Williams, the Heisman Trophy winner. Two days before the draft, Marshall Faulk was traded to the St. Louis Rams. Third-round pick, Brandon Burlsworth, was killed in an automobile accident in Arkansas April 28. James caught on quickly and Manning and Marvin Harrison clicked as a potent passing combination. In October, Steve Muhammad's wife died as did the baby she was carrying when she went into premature labor following a car accident. After her death it was revealed that 10 days before the accident Muhammad had been arrested for battery on his pregnant wife. The Colts finished the season 13-3 - in what was the greatest one-year turnaround in NFL history - and won the AFC East. They hosted Indianapolis' first post-season playoff game but were defeated by the Tennessee Titans 19-16. Manning, Harrison and James were all chosen for the Pro Bowl.
2000: The Colts and their fans entered the 2000 season with high expectations. After winning the AFC East with a 13-3 record in 1999, and with young stars Peyton Manning and Edgerrin James just hitting their strides many predicted this would be the year the Colts would do even better and march straight to the Super Bowl. Jim Irsay even talked about winning three Super Bowls in a row. But things didn't quite turn out that way. The Colts' offense had impressive moments, sprinting through defenders with a no-huddle offense that left their opponents little time to catch their breath. But the Indianapolis defense was erratic - sometimes performing well but more often seeming unable to do what had to be done at crucial moments. Eight games into the season the Colts were 6-2, though some of the wins had been heart-stoppers with last-minute heroics overcoming earlier mistakes. Then they lost four of the next five games, and suddenly even making it into playoffs was in doubt. With three games left in the season the Colts only chance was to win all three - and they did. They earned a wildcard spot in the playoffs, but lost the game 23-17 to the Miami Dolphins. The organization entered the off-season knowing the area most in need of attention was the defense.
2001: The 2001 season was, once again, a major disappointment. The team finished 6-10, managing only two wins in its last nine games. And, as in 2000, the defense took the brunt of the criticism. It ranked No. 30 in total yards allowed, tied for No. 26 in generating takeaways and No. 31 in points allowed. But the defense wasn't the only problem. The special teams' performance was often really bad and Peyton Manning was plagued by turnovers. The team was also hurt by injuries throughout the season, the most serious occuring on Oct. 25, when running back Edgerrin James was lost for the season with a knee injury. Coach Jim Mora was fired with one year remaining on his contract and Tony Dungy, who had been fired as coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was given a five-year contract to coach the Colts on Jan. 22, 2002.
2002: The Colts finished the 2002 season with a 10-6 record, earning a wild-card slot in the playoffs. In that game however, the Colts were humiliated with a 41-0 shutout at the hands of the New York Jets. Marvin Harrison had a stellar year, breaking several club and NFL records, but running back Edgerrin James was hampered by injuries most of the season. Peyton Manning was often brilliant but threw 19 interceptions, most of them in games the Colts went on to lose. In a troubling pattern, the Colts repeatedly squandered the first half of a game, often falling so far behind that despite second half rallies, they could not overcome the deficit.
Indianapolis Colts 2003 Here
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