Indianapolis Colts · Franchise era 5 of 7
The Peyton Manning machine: the Indianapolis Colts story
The story in one sentence
Manning and a precisely constructed offense won at least twelve games seven straight times and captured Super Bowl XLI after a defining comeback against New England.
Pre-snap command creates a perennial contender
Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne gave the era its recognizable core.
Its ending created the conditions for andrew luck's brilliant sprint.
Timeline
How it unfolded
Before 1998
What came before
Dickerson supplied the first playoff breakthrough and Harbaugh's 1995 team came within one catch of the Super Bowl before the franchise found its defining draft pick.
- 12TradeApril 15, 1999
April 15, 1999
The two-pick trade that completed the Greatest Show on Turf
The Colts had drafted Edgerrin James and moved an unhappy Faulk. The Rams saw the receiving back Mike Martz needed to connect every part of a new offense.
To LAR
To IND19992NDround asset1999PICKround assetMarshall Faulk to St. LouisLAR receives Marshall FaulkIND receives 1999 second · No. 36, 1999 fifth · No. 1383 original assets · 2 outcomes tracedOpen trade → 2007-01-21
Conference Championship: New England Patriots vs Indianapolis Colts
2007-02-04
Super Bowl: Indianapolis Colts vs Chicago Bears
2010-02-07
Super Bowl: New Orleans Saints vs Indianapolis Colts
After 2011
What came next
Luck reached the playoffs in each of his first three seasons and authored a massive comeback, but accumulated injuries led to his sudden retirement.
The core