History of the Indianapolis Colts

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Indianapolis Colts are a professional football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are 2006 champions of the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football League (NFL).

The team began play in 1953 as the Baltimore Colts. A previous Baltimore Colts team played between 1947 and 1950. The original Colts team began play in 1946 as the Miami Seahawks, a member of the upstart All-America Football Conference. They relocated to Baltimore as the Colts in 1947, and joined the NFL in 1950 after the AAFC merged into the older league. However, the franchise folded after one NFL season. After fans in Baltimore protested, the NFL formed another Colts team out of the ashes of the failed Dallas Texans for the 1953 season. While in Baltimore, the club won four NFL Championships, including Super Bowl V.

Prior to the 1984 season, the Colts moved from Baltimore to Indianapolis, highlighted by an infamous incident in which they packed all of their belongings into Mayflower Transit trucks in the middle of a snowy night on March 29. The move angered many Baltimore fans and former players so much that they completely disassociated themselves from the relocated Indianapolis team. Since moving to Indianapolis, the Colts have appeared in the playoffs ten times and won Super Bowl XLI on February 4, 2007.

The Colts conduct summer training camp at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Contents 1 Franchise history 1.1 The AAFC Baltimore Colts 1.2 The NFL Baltimore Colts 1.3 Relocation to Indianapolis 1.4 The Pre-Peyton years in Indianapolis 1.5 The Peyton Manning Era 1.6 2004 season 1.7 2005 season 1.8 2006 season 1.9 Super Bowl XLI 2 References

[edit] Franchise history

[edit] The AAFC Baltimore Colts

There have been two unrelated NFL teams called the Baltimore Colts. The first Colts team started in the All-America Football Conference in 1946 as the Miami Seahawks. They moved to Baltimore in 1947. In 1950, they joined the National Football League and finished the season with a record of 1-11. They folded after the 1950 season; however, supporting groups such as a fan club and the NFL's second marching band remained in operation and worked for the team's revival.

[edit] The NFL Baltimore Colts

In 1953, a Baltimore-based group led by Carroll Rosenbloom won the rights to a new Baltimore franchise. Rosenbloom was awarded the remains of the Dallas Texans. The Texans themselves started as the Boston Yanks in 1944 before moving to New York as the Bulldogs in 1949. They then became the Yanks in 1950. Many of the players from the New York Yankees of the All-America Football Conference were added to the team. The Yanks moved to Dallas after the 1951 season. However, the NFL considers the Texans and Colts to be separate teams.

The Colts were the first NFL team to have cheerleaders, and the old Colts' fan club and marching band (now under the name Baltimore's Marching Ravens) became part of the new franchise.

In 1958, coached by Hall of Famer Weeb Ewbank and led by Hall of Fame quarterback Johnny Unitas, the Colts defeated the New York Giants at Yankee Stadium 23-17 in the NFL championship game, an overtime contest sometimes called "The Greatest Game Ever Played". The Colts repeated as NFL champions in 1959, beating the Giants again, 31-16. In the early 1960s, the Colts continued as an elite NFL team although they lost the NFL championship game in 1964 to the Cleveland Browns, 27-0.

The 1967 Colts entered the final week of the regular season undefeated, but then a 34-10 loss to the Rams at Los Angeles kept them out of the playoffs as the result gave both teams a final record of 11-1-2, with the Rams being awarded first place in the Western Conference's Coastal Division because they won the head-to-head series (the first meeting between the two teams, at Baltimore, ended in a 24-24 tie).

In 1968, after a 13-1 season, they gained a measure of revenge against the Browns, defeating them 34-0 in the NFL championship game. The 13-1 regular season and the trouncing of the Browns led NFL-based media to call the Colts "the greatest pro football team of all time".^{[citation needed]} The Colts went into Super Bowl III (the first in the series to officially be called the Super Bowl) against the American Football League's New York Jets as 17-point favorites, with NFL icons like Pro Bowlers Bobby Boyd (db), Mike Curtis (lb), John Mackey (te), Tom Matte (rb), Fred Miller (dl), Earl Morrall (qb), Willie Richardson (wr), and Bob Vogel (ol).

The result of the game was surprising to many in the sports media as Joe Namath and Matt Snell led the American Football League champion Jets to a World Championship over the NFL's Colts, 16-7. The Jets were coached by Weeb Ewbank, who had previously led the Colts to two NFL titles.

The Super Bowl letdown had an effect on the Colts as they only won 8 games in the 1969 season and missed the playoffs.

Rosenbloom, Art Modell of the Browns, and Art Rooney of the Pittsburgh Steelers facilitated the NFL merger with the American Football League, by joining the ten AFL teams in the AFC. After the NFL merged with the AFL in 1970, the Colts went on a rampage, as new head coach Don Mccafferty and a new, improved defense led by Mike Curtis, the Colts won 11 games, took the AFC East Title, in the first round of the NFL Playoffs, they beat the Cincinnati Bengals 21-0, one week later in the AFC Championship, they beat the Oakland Raiders 27-17. Baltimore went on to win the first post-merger Super Bowl (Super Bowl V) against the NFC's Dallas Cowboys 16-13, on a Jim O'Brien field goal, with 5 seconds left to play. In 1971, the Colts made it back to the NFL Playoffs, they defeated the Cleveland Browns in the first round, but lost to the Miami Dolphins in the AFC Championship on January 2, 1972 21-0.

On July 13, 1972, Rosenbloom traded the Colts to Robert Irsay for the Los Angeles Rams, but the players remained in their same respective cities. The Colts made the playoffs four more times in the 1970s - a wild card in 1971 and three consecutive AFC East titles in 1975 through 1977, led in these latter years by 1976 NFL Most Valuable Player Bert Jones at quarterback and by the NFL's best defensive line, known colloquially as the "Sack Pack". However, they then endured nine consecutive losing seasons beginning in 1978. In 1981, the defense was the main problem: The Colts allowed an NFL-record 533 points, and also set an all-time record for fewest sacks (13) and a modern record for fewest punt returns (12). The following year the offense collapsed: On November 28, 1982, the Colts' offense did not cross mid-field in an entire game, played at Buffalo against the Bills; this would not happen again in an NFL game until 2000. The Colts also finished 0-8-1 in 1982, only nine games having been played that year due to a 57-day players' strike.

By virtue of their league-worst record in 1982, Baltimore landed the first pick overall in the 1983 NFL Draft, using it to select John Elway, who immediately balked at the prospect of playing for the Colts and threatened to play professional baseball instead (Elway was a prospect for the New York Yankees). He was traded to Denver for Mark Hermann, Chris Hinton and a first rounder in 1984 shortly after the draft. To make matters worse, the quarterback that they had drafted in the first round the year before, Art Schlichter, was suspended for the 1983 season a few months after the Elway trade. Somehow, Baltimore managed to finish a better-than-expected 7-9 with journeyman Mike Pagel at the helm.

[edit] Relocation to Indianapolis

By early 1984, after the Colts' lease on Memorial Stadium had expired, Irsay threatened to move the team unless Baltimore city officials helped pay for a new stadium and other concessions. Despite numerous public announcements that he would not move the Colts out of Baltimore, and the Maryland legislature threatening to give the city of Baltimore the right to seize the team by eminent domain, Irsay secretly negotiated with Indianapolis to move the team. The Indiana capital agreed to give the team a $12.5 million loan, a $4 million training complex, and the use of the Hoosier Dome.^[1] After signing the agreement, Mayflower Transit trucks from Indianapolis rolled into the team's training complex at 2:00 AM on March 29. Workers then packed the team's offices and equipment and the trucks left for Indianapolis at 3:00 AM. The team didn't know they were moving until around 3:30 AM.

The move triggered a flurry of legal activity that ended when representatives of Baltimore and the Colts organization reached a settlement on March 1986 in which all lawsuits regarding the relocation would be dismissed, and the Colts would endorse a new NFL team for Baltimore.^[2] Nonetheless, most of the prominent old-time Colts (many of whom had settled in the Baltimore area) were so outraged at how Baltimore had been treated that they cut all ties to the relocated team. Unitas, for instance, asked the Hall of Fame on numerous occasions to remove his display unless it was listed as belonging to the Baltimore Colts. Many former Colts players actively worked to bring the NFL back to Baltimore.

Several years later on November 6, 1995, Browns owner Art Modell announced his intention to move his Browns team to Baltimore. The decision also triggered a flurry of legal activity. Modell originally intended to take the Browns name with him to Baltimore. However, many Baltimore fans, remembering the events of 1984, sympathized with the hostility Modell faced in Cleveland. To this day, many Baltimore fans feel that Irsay stole Baltimore's football history when he moved the Colts. By the same token, they felt that Modell would be stealing Cleveland's football history if he called his team the "Baltimore Browns." Finally, representatives of both cities and the NFL reached a settlement on February 9, 1996. It stipulated that the Browns' name, colors, and history of the franchise were to remain in Cleveland. A reactivated Cleveland Browns team would then begin play in 1999. Modell would be allowed to take his players and organization to Baltimore, but it would be technically regarded as an expansion team. However, the Irsay family did not grant the city of Baltimore the rights to the Colts' name or colors. Therefore, the new team was named the Ravens after a fan vote.

The NFL regards the pre-1984 Baltimore Colts organization and the current Indianapolis Colts as one franchise dating to 1953, and the Ravens as a 1996 expansion team. However, most of the Colts' former players and many Baltimore fans, still unhappy at Irsay, regard the pre-1984 Colts and the current Ravens as one franchise. Former Colts players frequently attend Ravens games and often receive standing ovations when their pictures are shown on the JumboTron at M&T Bank Stadium. Unitas, for example, was frequently seen on the Ravens' sidelines prior to his death in 2002. In fact, the old Colts marching band and fan club became part of the Ravens organization after waiting 13 years for the NFL's return to Baltimore. And shortly after Unitas' death, he and seven other Hall of Fame Colts players were inducted into the Ravens' Ring of Honor. [1]

The Colts' final game in Baltimore was played on December 18, 1983 against the Houston Oilers. The Oilers would, thirteen years later from this day, play their final game before moving to Tennessee against the Baltimore Ravens at Memorial Stadium.

When Unitas died, the NFL did not allow the Colts to honor him with a patch on their helmets and uniforms. Colts quarterback Peyton Manning specifically requested to wear black shoes, but after being warned that this would be met with an $25,000 fine by the NFL, did not. [2] A similar situation arose in 1999 after the death of former Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton, the league only allowed the Bears to honor Payton with a patch on their helmets and uniforms. In this case, the Baltimore Colts were given permission to wear a patch or armband on their uniforms. [3] Baltimore, Ravens' quarterback Chris Redman wore black shoes instead, with speculations that he will be fined for doing so.

The Colts would not return to Baltimore until they were defeated by the Ravens at their new stadium on November 29, 1998.

[edit] The Pre-Peyton years in Indianapolis

Between 1984 and 1998, the Colts had little success. They employed 7 head coaches in 14 years and endured many losing seasons, earning 3 #1 picks and 3 #2 picks. Unfortunately, their initial #1 picks did little to help the struggling Colts - Jeff George (drafted in 1990) as a quarterback had a disappointing career with the Colts and even alienated the city's fans with his rude comments towards the city. Steve Emtman (drafted in 1992) as a defensive end was a promising pick but was plagued with injuries throughout his short career. The Colts only appeared in the playoffs in three seasons out of 14. Their first success came in the strike-shortened 1987 NFL Season when they won the AFC East but lost at the Cleveland Browns. The team reached the playoffs 1995 as a wild card entrant. They started be beating the defending AFC Champion San Diego Chargers. They followed that up with a victory at the heavily favored Kansas City Chiefs and advanced to the AFC championship game in 1995 led by Jim Harbaugh (current Stanford University head coach), first year running back Marshall Faulk and All-Pro defensive tackle Tony Siragusa. They lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers 20-16 in a thrilling finish as Harbaugh threw an 53 yard "hail mary" pass that initially appeared to be caught by Aaron Bailey. Slow-motion replays showed the ball had rolled off the chest of Bailey and briefly touched the ground, denying the Colts their first Super Bowl appearance since moving to Indianapolis (this was before the Challenge rule had made its way into the NFL, so the play would have stood even if Bailey had not actually dropped the ball). The following off-season, Marvin Harrison was drafted in the first round off the infamous 1996 Wide Receiver Draft class that included Terrell Owens (49ers), Keyshawn Johnson (NY Jets), Muhsin Muhammad (Carolina Panthers) and Terry Glenn (Patriots). The Colts again finished 9-7 in 1996 and again lost to the Steelers but this time, they lost in their first playoff game.

The 1997 season was rock bottom for the Colts. It began first with the passing of Robert Irsay on January 17th. His son, Jim Irsay took over then starter Jim Harbaugh was injured along with backup Paul Justin. The Colts finished 3-13 and earned their third #1 pick since moving to Indianapolis. With new owner Jim Irsay the Colts were able to gain a new direction, beginning the long rebuilding process that would ultimately lead to success in the NFL.

[edit] The Peyton Manning Era

Jim Irsay began to put his mark on the Colts one year after taking over from his father. He fired Coach Lindy Infante and hired GM Bill Polian and head coach Jim E. Mora. The team drafted University of Tennessee Volunteers quarterback, Peyton Manning, who was third pick in the Heisman trophy balloting, and son of New Orleans Saints legend Archie Manning. Peyton was the first pick in the 1998 NFL Draft, and in the 1999 NFL Draft Edgerrin James was selected 8th to be the team's running back. The Colts finished 13-3 in 1999, but were eliminated in the divisional round by the Tennessee Titans. A year later, in the 2000, they were defeated in overtime in a wild-card round game against the Miami Dolphins in Miami, when a potential game-winning field goal attempt from 49 yards out by Mike Vanderjagt sailed wide right. The following year, Edgerrin tore his ACL, and while backup Dominic Rhodes proved a capable starter, becoming the only undrafted rookie to rush for 1000 yards in his rookie season, the Colts would finish 6-10 in 2001 and miss the playoffs, in part due to a defense that gave up the most points in a season of any NFL team since 1981. Coach Jim Mora would be fired after the 2001 season, reportedly due to a disagreement with general manager Bill Polian over defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. [4]

This led to the hiring of coach Tony Dungy, the arctitect of the renovated Tampa Bay Buccaneers franchise (who had not made the playoffs in the prevoius 15 years), notably improving their defense and taking them to the playoffs 4 times in his 6 years in Tampa before being fired. In his first season, he led the Colts to the playoffs while preaching improved defense, but a blowout playoff loss to the New York Jets put an end to their season.

In the 2003 NFL season, Manning was co-MVP along with Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair, as the Colts won the AFC South Division title, defeated the Denver Broncos in the wild-card playoff (41-10), and advanced to play the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional playoffs, winning 38-31. In the AFC Championship game, they were defeated 24-14 by the eventual Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots, with quarterback Peyton Manning throwing four interceptions, in a game which was widely criticized for its minimal officiating (only seven penalties were called during the entire game, six of them were pre-snap fouls). This led to a reinterpretation of the "bump rule" for the 2004 season. This is commonly referred to as the "Colts Rule" or the "Pollard Rule" named so for the non-call on Willie McGinest's mauling of Colts' TE Marcus Pollard on the Colts' final offensive drive. The Pollard Rule led to a large increase of defensive pass interference calls the following season.

[edit] 2004 season

Further information: 2004 Indianapolis Colts season

In the 2004 season, the Colts hoped to make another trip to the postseason. After losing in Week 1 to the defending champion New England Patriots 27-24 in Foxboro, they won four straight games before their week 6 bye. During that streak, they beat the Tennessee Titans in Nashville 31-17, won in the week 3 home opener against the Green Bay Packers 45-31, and then tied for the AFC South with a victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars at Alltel Stadium 24-17. They won at home against the Oakland Raiders 35-14 but coming off of their bye week, the Colts lost the next 2 games. They lost the rematch against the Jaguars at home, 27-24, and lost to the revenge-hungry Kansas City Chiefs, 45-35. Following these back-to-back defeats, the Colts began an 8-game winning streak. They won their next 2 home games, beating the Minnesota Vikings 31-28 & the Houston Texans 49-14. Then, they won their next 2 road games, beating the Chicago Bears 41-10 & the Detroit Lions 41-9. They returned home and got a series sweep over the Titans 51-24, which also marked the 4th game in a row in which the Colts won with 40+ points. It also marked the 5th game in a row in which they won with 30+ points. On a trip to Houston with a win, they achieved another series sweep, this time over the Texans 23-14. With that victory, the Colts locked up the AFC South title for the second year in a row.

In their week 16 home game against the playoff-bound San Diego Chargers, Peyton Manning was only a few touchdown passes away from breaking Dan Marino's record of 48 TD passes in a single season. Trailing 31-16, Dominic Rhodes returned a kickoff 88 yards for a TD. With 4:47 left in regulation, Peyton Manning waived the punting team off, despite the fact that it was 4th & 4 on the Colts 25 yard-line. His gamble worked with a complete pass to Reggie Wayne for a first down. He then completed two more passes to tight end Dallas Clark & an 18-yard throw to Marvin Harrison. He finally broke Marino's record with TD Pass #49 to wide receiver Brandon Stokley. He completed a 2-point conversion to tie the game up at 31-31 and send it into overtime. Eventually, the Colts won 34-31 with a Mike Vanderjagt field goal and secured the #3 AFC seed in the playoffs.

After dropping a meaningless game to the Broncos on the road, the Colts managed to get payback in the AFC wild card round with their 49-24 victory at home. During that game, Manning threw 27 completed passes out of 33 tries for an astounding 457 yards, with 4 TDs and only 1 interception. Edgerrin James ran 18 times for 63 yards and a single touchdown (with his longest run being 11 yards).

Despite their big victory, the Colts lost to the eventual Super Bowl Champion Patriots for the second year in a row the next week in the divisional round, 20-3. This was the worst loss of the Colts' season, as one of the most prolific offenses during the season was consistently stopped by New England's defense. It was the first time all season that the Colts were unable to score a touchdown. In addition, the Colts defense struggled to stop the Patriots offense from executing 3 time-consuming drives that each lasted over 7 minutes and lead to 17 total points.

[edit] 2005 season

Further information: 2005 Indianapolis Colts season

Despite going 0-5 in the preseason (including their American Bowl loss to the Falcons), the Colts began the 2005 Season 13-0. They were only the fourth team in league history to reach a 13-0 record. The Colts' offense, previously dependent on Manning's passing game, proved its versatility in more heavily emphasizing rushing. This, in combination with an improved defense, allowed the team to keep winning. Another factor that contributed to the Colts' success was their use of the no-huddle offense. Instead of calling plays in a conventional huddle, quarterback Manning began calling them at the line of scrimmage. This gave the offense the potential to move at a much quicker pace, and does not allow the opposing defense to substitute in fresh defenders.

The Colts held each of their first five opponents to ten points or under, and recorded four interceptions in the Week 5 game against the 49ers. On a Week 6 Monday Night home game against the St. Louis Rams, the Colts came back for a 45-28 victory after trailing 17-0, and QB Peyton Manning and WR Marvin Harrison broke the record for the most touchdowns between a QB and a WR. They broke the record of tandem Steve Young and Jerry Rice's with 86 touchdowns. After their record-setting victory, they traveled to Houston and won against the Texans 38-20 before heading into their Bye Week in Week 8.

On November 7, the Colts got their eighth-straight victory, beating the two-time defending champion New England Patriots 40-21 on Monday Night Football. This marked the end of the Patriots' six-game win streak against the Colts, and Peyton Manning's first victory at New England against the Tom Brady-led Patriots. It was also the second time in 2005 that the Colts offense scored 40 or more points.

On November 20, one week after easily sweeping the Texans at home 31-17, the Colts faced their first real challenge against the Carson Palmer-led Cincinnati Bengals, in which the Colts won 45-37 and became the first team to go 10-0 since the 1998 Denver Broncos. It also marked the third time this year they won with 40-plus points. The Colts then defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers, 26-7, on a Monday Night Football game on November 28, spoiling Ben Roethlisberger's return from knee surgery and giving him his first road loss.

On Sunday, December 3, the Colts swept division rival Tennessee Titans at home 35-3 to remain undefeated, becoming the first team to qualify for the playoffs. The next week they swept the Jacksonville Jaguars, another division rival, by winning 26-18, along with clinching the division and the No. 1 playoff seed in the AFC, which ensured the Colts' home-field advantage. This also marked the first time since the 1998 Denver Broncos and the fourth time in NFL history that a team went 13-0.

On Sunday, December 18, the San Diego Chargers defeated the Colts 26-17, ending their bid to join the 1972 Miami Dolphins as the only teams in NFL history to have a perfect (no losses or ties, including playoffs) season.

In week 16, the Colts were forced to play without their coach, Tony Dungy, who took the week off to mourn the death of his son James, who committed suicide earlier in the week. With the team resting most of their key and injured players, the Colts lost their second straight game 28-13 to the eventual NFC Champion Seattle Seahawks.

In their last regular season home game of the year, Coach Dungy returned to the sidelines, and the Colts again played mostly with their back-ups and won against the Arizona Cardinals 17-13. The team's final record of 14-2 marked the best 16-game season in the franchise's history.

On January 15, 2006, the Colts were eliminated from the playoffs in a divisional matchup against the eventual Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers. Trailing by 21-10 late in the game, the Colts were aided by a questionable^{[citation needed]} instant replay reversal of an interception by Steeler Troy Polamalu. Regaining possession of the ball through a turnover, they drove down the field, only to have Mike Vanderjagt's 46-yard field goal attempt sail wide to the right. This loss marked the first time since the NFL expanded to a 12-team playoff tournament format in 1990 that a #1 seed lost to a #6 seed.

[edit] 2006 season

Further information: 2006 Indianapolis Colts season

After becoming the first team in NFL history to begin two consecutive seasons by winning at least their first 9 games, the Colts proceeded to lose 3 of their next 4 games with much blame being assigned to their poor run defense. However in week 15 the Colts, with a strong showing from their defense, defeated the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football 34-16 to capture their 4th consecutive AFC South title.

Also in week 13 against the Titans, QB Peyton Manning and WR Marvin Harrison became the first such combination in NFL history to have completed 100 touchdown passes. The previous record for quarterback/wide receiver TD passes was 85, so with each TD pass the duo continues to obliterate the record books. Despite this, Colts General Manager Bill Polian insists the current rules for pass interference are not strict enough and puts the Colts at a competitive disadvantage.

The Colts finished the season with a 12-4 record, giving them the number 3 seed in the playoffs. The record also marked their fifth consecutive season with 10 victories or more.

In the Colts' wild-card round playoff game, they defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 23-8 despite Peyton Manning's three interceptions. Shockingly, it was their defense that helped him out. Their maligned run defense held the Chiefs to 44 yards on the ground, (Larry Johnson only had 32 yards) and Chiefs' quarterback Trent Green only had 2 yards passing in the entire first half. The Chiefs didn't manage a first down until 3:33 remained in the third quarter.

The Colts defeated the Baltimore Ravens 15-6 in the Division Playoff round, thanks to kicker Adam Vinatieri's five field goals in the franchise's first playoff game back in Baltimore since the team's relocation. They played the New England Patriots on Sunday, January 21, 2007 in Indianapolis. This was the Colts third conference championship game in the Indianapolis era, and the first one played at home. The game also marked the first time the AFC title game was played in a domed stadium. The Colts defeated the Patriots 38-34 in the Championship title game, after trailing at one point 21-3, to represent the AFC in Super Bowl XLI on February 4, 2007. The 18 point comeback was the largest in NFL conference championship history.

[edit] Super Bowl XLI

Main article: Super Bowl XLI

On February 4, 2007, the Colts won Super Bowl XLI, defeating the Chicago Bears 29-17 in Dolphin Stadium, in Miami Gardens, Florida in the first ever Super Bowl played in the rain. Rain played a substantial obstacle to both teams, as a combined total of six turnovers were recorded in the first quarter, a new Super Bowl high. Quarterback Peyton Manning, after a rocky start which saw him throw an interception, was named the MVP when he recovered to complete 25 of 38 passes, one for a touchdown. Reggie Wayne was the sole receiver of a passing touchdown from the Colts offense, and the running back duo of Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai combined for 190 yards, with Rhodes achieving the only rushing touchdown, and kicker Adam Vinatieri converted on 3 out of 4 field goal attempts. On the defensive side of the ball Pro Bowl safety Bob Sanders and rookie cornerback Kelvin Hayden both intercepted Bears' quarterback Rex Grossman towards the end of the game, with Hayden returning his for 56 yards for a touchdown which helped seal the win for the Colts.

In winning the game Indianapolis became the first "dome team" to win a Super Bowl in an outdoor stadium. Tony Dungy also became the first African American to win the Super Bowl as an NFL head coach, as well as only the third man to have won the Super Bowl as both a head coach and a player (along with Tom Flores and Mike Ditka).

[edit] References