Indianapolis Colts


 * This article is about the National Football League team founded in 1953 and formerly known as the Baltimore Colts. For the team that operated from 1947 to 1950, see Baltimore Colts (1947).

1953–1960


The second incarnation of the Baltimore Colts was founded on January 23, 1953, when the city of Baltimore was granted a new NFL franchise after losing the original Baltimore Colts team, which had folded after joining the league in 1950. The new team inherited the logo of the 1947 Colts, but with the colors of the NFL's Dallas Texans, which had folded after one season and had just been sold to the city of Baltimore.

1961–1978


In 1961, the logo was redrawn with a plastic Colts helmet instead of a leather one.

1979–1983


In 1979, the team's primary logo was changed to the horseshoe they had donned on their helmets since 1954.

1984–2003


On March 29, 1984, the Colts, under threat of eminent domain from the city of Baltimore, successfully relocated to Indianapolis, where they would become the Indianapolis Colts. The team would retain the horseshoe that they had used as their primary logo since 1979, with minimal color changes in the ensuing years.