Editing Indianapolis Colts (section)

==== Tony Dungy years (2002–2008) ====
Mora was fired at the end of the season and was replaced by former [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] head coach [[Tony Dungy]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Bell|first=Jarrett|title=Dungy riding high with Colts|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/nfl/colts/2002-06-12-focus-dungy.htm|work=[[USA Today]]|access-date=July 4, 2012|date=June 11, 2002|archive-date=April 19, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090419230525/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/nfl/colts/2002-06-12-focus-dungy.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> Dungy and the team quickly changed the atmosphere of the organization and returned to the playoffs in [[2002 Indianapolis Colts season|2002]] with a 10–6 record, only for them to get shut out in the [[2002–03 NFL playoffs|2002 Wild Card Round]] to the [[2002 New York Jets season|New York Jets]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=2002 Indianapolis Colts Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/clt/2002.htm |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> The Colts also returned to the playoffs in [[2003 Indianapolis Colts season|2003]] and [[2004 Indianapolis Colts season|2004]] with 12–4 records and [[AFC South]] championships.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2003 Indianapolis Colts Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/clt/2003.htm |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2004 Indianapolis Colts Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/clt/2004.htm |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> The Colts lost to the [[2003 New England Patriots season|New England Patriots]] and [[Tom Brady]] in the [[2003–04 NFL playoffs|2003 AFC Championship Game]] and in the [[2004–05 NFL playoffs|2004 divisional playoffs]], thereby beginning a rivalry between the two teams, and between Manning and Brady.<ref>{{cite news|last=Mihoces|first=Gary|title=NFL's biggest rivalry? Tom Brady, Peyton Manning to duel|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2010-11-21-colts-patriots-manning-brady-preview_N.htm?csp=34sports|work=[[USA Today]]|access-date=July 4, 2012|date=November 21, 2010|archive-date=April 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210429185214/https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2010-11-21-colts-patriots-manning-brady-preview_N.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> Following two consecutive playoff losses to the Patriots, the Colts began the [[2005 Indianapolis Colts season|2005 season]] with a 13–0 record, including a regular season victory over the [[2005 New England Patriots season|Patriots]], the first in the Manning era.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Donaldson |first=Jim |date=November 13, 2009 |title=Patriots vs. Colts, The Tide Turns: Nov. 7, 2005 |url=http://blogs.providencejournal.com/sports/patriots/2009/11/the-tide-turns.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202235002/http://blogs.providencejournal.com/sports/patriots/2009/11/the-tide-turns.html |archive-date=December 2, 2013 |access-date=July 4, 2012 |work=The Providence Journal}}</ref> During the season, Manning and [[Marvin Harrison]] broke the NFL record for touchdowns by a quarterback and receiver tandem.<ref>{{cite news|title=Manning, Harrison match Young, Rice|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2005/10/03/manning-harrison-match-young-rice/|newspaper=The Baltimore Sun|access-date=July 4, 2012|archive-date=December 2, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202222058/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2005-10-03/sports/0510030129_1_titans-colts-manning-and-harrison|url-status=live}}</ref> Indianapolis finished the 2005 season with a 14–2 record, the best record in the league that year and the best in a 16 games season for the franchise, but lost to the [[2005 Pittsburgh Steelers season|Pittsburgh Steelers]] in the divisional round.<ref>{{cite web|last=Pasquarelli|first=Len|title=Colts ready to put disappointing end behind them|date=February 8, 2006|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=pasquarelli_len&id=2323106|publisher=[[ESPN]]|access-date=July 4, 2012|archive-date=July 29, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729023545/http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=pasquarelli_len&id=2323106|url-status=live}}</ref>

===== Super Bowl XLI champions (2006) =====
Indianapolis entered the [[2006 Indianapolis Colts season|2006 season]] with a veteran quarterback, receivers, and defenders, and chose running back [[Joseph Addai]] in the [[2006 NFL draft|2006 draft]].<ref>{{cite web|title=2006 NFL Draft History – Round 1|url=http://www.mynfldraft.com/2006|publisher=MyNFLDraft.com|access-date=July 4, 2012|archive-date=June 21, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120621042959/http://www.mynfldraft.com/2006|url-status=live}}</ref> As in the previous season, the Colts began the season undefeated and went 9–0 before losing their first game against the [[2006 Dallas Cowboys season|Dallas Cowboys]].<ref name="w265">{{cite web | title=NFL: Cowboys break the Colts' nerve and their streak | website=The New York Times | date=2006-11-20 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/20/sports/20iht-NFL.3599475.html | access-date=2024-08-18}}</ref> Indianapolis finished the season with a 12–4 record and entered the playoffs for the fifth consecutive year, this time as the number three seed in the AFC. The Colts won their first two [[2006–07 NFL playoffs|playoff]] games against the [[2006 Kansas City Chiefs season|Kansas City Chiefs]] and the [[2006 Baltimore Ravens season|Baltimore Ravens]] to return to the AFC Championship Game for the first time since the 2003 playoffs, where they faced their rivals, the [[2006 New England Patriots season|New England Patriots]]. In a classic game,<ref>{{cite web|title=Games of the Decade – Getting rid of the monkey|url=https://www.espn.com/espn/page2/story?page=games/decade/2006afcchampionship|publisher=[[ESPN]]|access-date=July 4, 2012|archive-date=July 29, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729020455/http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=games%2Fdecade%2F2006afcchampionship|url-status=live}}</ref> the Colts overcame a 21–3 first-half deficit to win the game 38–34 and earned a trip to [[Super Bowl&nbsp;XLI]], the franchise's first [[Super Bowl]] appearance since [[Super Bowl V|1970]] and for the first based in Indianapolis. The Colts faced the [[2006 Chicago Bears season|Chicago Bears]] in the Super Bowl, winning the game 29–17 and giving Manning, Polian, Irsay, and Dungy, as well as the city of Indianapolis, their first Super Bowl title.<ref>{{cite web|title=Super Bowl XLI|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/playoffs06/series?series=indchi|publisher=[[ESPN]]|access-date=July 4, 2012|archive-date=May 7, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120507101106/http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs06/series?series=indchi|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Weisman|first=Larry|title=Colts reign supreme over Bears in Super Bowl XLI|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/games/2007-02-04-super-bowl-game-story_x.htm|work=[[USA Today]]|access-date=July 4, 2012|date=February 6, 2007|archive-date=May 13, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120513212617/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/games/2007-02-04-super-bowl-game-story_x.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Padgett |first=Tim |date=February 5, 2007 |title=Revenge of the Hoosiers |url=http://content.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1585951,00.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928042542/http://content.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1585951,00.html |archive-date=September 28, 2013 |access-date=June 24, 2022 |website=Time Magazine}}</ref>

Following their Super Bowl championship, the Colts compiled a 13–3 record during the [[2007 Indianapolis Colts season|2007 season]]; they lost to the [[2007 San Diego Chargers season|San&nbsp;Diego Chargers]] in the [[2007–08 NFL playoffs|divisional playoffs]], in what was the final game the Colts played at the RCA Dome before moving into [[Lucas Oil Stadium]] in [[2008 Indianapolis Colts season|2008]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Clayton|first=John|title=Colts unravel; all signs point to Dungy's departure|date=January 13, 2008|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/playoffs07/columns/story?columnist=clayton_john&id=3195151|publisher=[[ESPN]]|access-date=July 4, 2012|archive-date=September 30, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150930111627/http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs07/columns/story?columnist=clayton_john&id=3195151|url-status=live}}</ref> The 2008 season began with Manning being sidelined for most of the pre-season due to surgery.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 15, 2008 |title=Manning has infected bursa sac removed from left knee |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=3487657 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120729235408/http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3487657 |archive-date=July 29, 2012 |access-date=July 4, 2012 |website=ESPN.com|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> Indianapolis began the season with a 3–4 record, but then won nine consecutive games to end the season at 12–4 and make in into the playoffs as a wild card team, eventually losing to the [[2008 San Diego Chargers season|Chargers]] in the wild card round.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wild Card - Indianapolis Colts at San Diego Chargers - January 3rd, 2009 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200901030sdg.htm |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> Following the season, Tony Dungy announced his retirement after seven seasons as head coach, having compiled an overall record of 92–33 with the team.<ref name="Dungy Retires/Caldwell Hired">{{Cite web |date=January 12, 2009 |title=Dungy retires after 7&nbsp;seasons with Colts |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=3827058 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121026035403/http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3827058 |archive-date=October 26, 2012 |access-date=July 4, 2012 |website=[[ESPN.com]]|agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref>

[[File:Indpls Colts huddle during Super Bowl XLIV.jpg|thumb|alt=The Colts huddling|upright=1.0|Indianapolis offensive line huddles during [[Super Bowl XLIV]] (2010)]]