The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The team is part of the South Division of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). While in Baltimore, the Colts won four NFL Championships, including Super Bowl V. In Indianapolis, the Colts won Super Bow XLI in 2006 against the Chicago Bears.

The Colts moved from Baltimore in 1984, and began their stay in Indianapolis winning 90 of 228 games through the 1997 season, including 5 playoff games. Since Jim Irsay assumed control of the franchise in 1998 after the death of his father Robert Irsay, the team has become the first in league history to win 12 games or more in six consecutive seasons - extending this record to 10 after the 2008 season. The Colts are also the first NFL team to beat all of the other 31 NFL teams

Franchise history

The Baltimore Colts were the first NFL team to have cheerleaders, and a marching band. The Colts franchise was officially created in 1953, but can trace its history much earlier than that, to before the NFL actually began: its earliest predecessor was the Dayton Triangles, a founding member of the NFL that was originally created in 1913. That team went through the following changes:

• Dayton Triangles relocated and renamed Brooklyn Dodgers in 1930.
• Changed name to Brooklyn Tigers in 1944. In the same year, the Boston Yanks are founded.
• Merged with Boston Yanks in 1945 as the wartime "The Yanks."
• Franchise canceled in 1945 by league and the team's temporary merger with the Boston Yanks is made permanent, as a parallel team (AAFC New York Yankees) is founded by the Tigers' former owner.
• Miami Seahawks of the AAFC are purchased and relocated to Baltimore and renamed the Colts (Originally wearing Green and Silver). This franchise was dissolved by the league on January 18, 1951.
• Boston Yanks move to New York in 1949 and become New York Yanks, absorbing much of the Yankees' roster the next year.
• New York Yanks move to Dallas in 1952 as Dallas Texans.
• Texans become a road team halfway through the 1952 season and are dissolved shortly thereafter.
• Dallas Texans franchise was moved to Baltimore on January 23, 1953 where, keeping the “Colts” nickname, they keep the Texans team colors of blue and white.

The AAFC Baltimore Colts

In December 28, 1946, the bankrupt Miami Seahawks of the All-America Football Conference were purchased and relocated in Baltimore by a group headed by Bob Rodenberg. As the result of a contest in Baltimore, won by Charles Evans of Middle River, Md., the team was renamed the “Colts.” On September 7, 1947, wearing the green and silver uniforms, the Colts, under Head Coach Cecil Isbell, won their initial AAFC game, 16-7, over the Brooklyn Dodgers. The team concluded its inaugural season before a record Baltimore crowd of 51,583 by losing to the New York Yankees, 21-7. The Colts finished with a 2-11-1 record, good for a fourth place finish in the Eastern Division. The Colts completed the 1948 season with a 7-8 record, tying the Buffalo Bills for the division title. The Colts compiled a 1-11 mark in 1949. Y. A. Tittle was the Colts starting quarterback.