Indianapolis Colts

The Indianapolis Colts’ jersey has changed very little since the team’s start in 1953. Back then, the team was known as the Baltimore Colts, since they were based out of Baltimore (before that, the team was known as the Dayton Triangles, and they can date their history as far back as 1913. A number of re-locations eventually brought the team to Baltimore). The jersey worn at home was primarily royal blue with 2 white stripes on each shoulder. White numbers were printed on the front, on the back, and on the shoulders beneath the stripes.

The original away version of the Indianapolis Colts’ jersey was solid white with 2 royal blue stripes on each shoulder. Royal blue numbers stood out on the front, back, and shoulders of this crisp uniform, clearly communicating the players’ allegiance to the Colts for viewing fans. The jersey’s simple, straightforward design garnered significant longevity in the years to come.

For nearly 50 years, the Colts’ jersey stayed true to its original design. Even through the team’s relocation to Indianapolis from Baltimore in 1984, no changes were made. It was not until 2002, when the NFL began to implement the use of elastic sleeves that a minor alteration was made to the uniform. It was in this same year that a popular defensive end, Dwight Freeney joined the team.

To better accommodate the elastic band around the sleeve, the jersey’s stripes no longer went all the way around the player’s shoulder, but were seen only on top of the shoulder. While they caused a design change to the Indianapolis Colts’ jersey, the elastic bands did help to reduce the number of holding calls made in NFL games, in addition to simply shortening the length of the sleeves.

A final change was made to the Indianapolis Colts jersey in 2004, when the team opted to change their signature color from royal blue to speed blue. While the change in color was slight, it represents the most significant change to the uniform in the team’s history. Quarterback, Peyton Manning, wide receiver, Marvin Harrison, and countless other popular players have worn the Colts’ signature speed blue in recent years.

Today, the Indianapolis Colts have a lot to be proud of. The team can boast of 5 NFL championship wins, including 2 Super Bowls, as well as 11 players in the league’s Hall of Fame. The Colts are also the only team to have had seven 12-win seasons (no other team has even accomplished 5 such seasons). Additionally, recent coach Tony Dungy (2002-2008) became the first African American coach to win the Super Bowl. This team’s lengthy and successful history gives players reason to be proud to wear an Indianapolis Colts jersey.