Watch history in the making in an Indianapolis Colts luxury suite
The history of the Colts franchise dates back more than 60 years and spans across two American cities. It includes several league championships, two Super Bowls, and two of the most iconic quarterbacks in football lore.
Though current quarterback Andrew Luck has experienced some success in the league since being selected out of Stanford with the number one overall pick in 2012, he has a big mountain to climb if he wants to be mentioned in the same breath as Johnny Unitas and Peyton Manning. Privileged with the honor of getting to watch these stars over the years, Colts fans endured a long and dark period marred by a lack of success on the field and a controversial and heartbreaking move from Baltimore to Indianapolis under owner Robert Irsay.
Jim Irsay, Robert’s son, is now the owner of the Colts and has seen his team through a momentous Super Bowl victory in 2006, the opening of an incredible new venue at Lucas Oil Stadium in 2008, and the transition from one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time in Peyton Manning to his heir apparent in Andrew Luck.
Reminiscent of the season in which Peyton Manning missed every game due to injury, Andrew Luck missed all of the 2017 season with an ongoing shoulder problem. A disappointing final tally of 4-12 ushered in the firing of Chuck Pagano at the end of the year. A worried fan base was clinging to their hopes that Andrew Luck would return to right the ship under a new head coach. Undoubtedly still feeling some pain, Luck has persevered through a rough beginning to the season and ended up putting up some great numbers (earning AP Comeback Player of the Year honors) while guiding his team to a playoff berth.
The franchise made Frank Reich the new Head Coach this past offseason. He spent the 2017 season as the Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator, winning the Super Bowl. A former NFL quarterback, Reich played behind Jim Kelly and is thought of as the best backup quarterback of all time. He played a major role in several dramatic comeback wins. He had been around the league for 13 seasons as a player. After taking some time in retirement, Reich spent the last 10 years bouncing around the league in various coaching positions. His diverse background has given him the confidence to know how to handle tough situations. He believes he can turn this team around quickly.
To do that, he will need to get the best from his players. Luckily, there is a wealth of talent on this roster. Star receiver TY Hilton is always ready to have a breakout game. Tight end Jack Doyle is one of the most reliable in the game. However, he is on IR for the rest of this season after suffering a kidney injury.
Marlon Mack has done a serviceable job as the starting running back after the departure of Frank Gore. Injuries have limited his playing time, but he has been a producer for this club when healthy. Add to the offensive line Quenton Nelson, the number six overall pick in the 2018 draft who can open up some big holes and the running game gets a boost. Luck, too, will benefit from the protection of his new guard out of Notre Dame. Canton-bound kicker Adam Vinatieri always has great success putting the ball through the uprights in Indianapolis and everywhere else around the league.
While last year’s team was on the outside looking in on the playoffs, this year’s group was able to punch their ticket for the postseason. After a decisive victory in the wild card round against the Houston Texans, Indianapolis ran into the high powered offense of the Kansas City Chiefs. Coming up short in that one by a score of 31-13, the Colts will regroup and get ready for another playoff run next year with aspirations of adding another Lombardi Trophy to a franchise that has been home to such enormous talents as Peyton Manning, Johnny Unitas, Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, and Dwight Freeney. Click here for more information about the Indianapolis Colts.
