5 Greatest Colts plays of all time

As the NFL offseason continues, and substantial news stories slow, it is time to get a blast from the past. The cynicism around the 2026 Indianapolis Colts team is both warranted and unwarranted in parts, but one thing we can all unanimously agree on is that the Colts have had no shortage of big plays that make you sit in silence just to remember the feeling. 

With that being said, here are the 5 greatest Colts plays of all time.

Five: Andrew Luck picking up running back Donal Brown’s fumble, diving to score in historic comeback against the Chiefs in the 2014 playoffs 

Starting off with a bang, the 2013 Wild Card matchup between the Colts and the Kansas City Chiefs looked over before halftime. Indianapolis trailed 38-10 in the third quarter, and the atmosphere inside Lucas Oil Stadium felt defeated; a type of quite Colts fans knows all too well.

Then chaos turned into history. 

Midway through the second half, running back Donald Brown lost the football near the goal line after a bang for your buck type of play from the Chiefs defense. In what felt like a perfectly scripted movie moment, quarterback Andrew Luck sprinted toward the loose ball, scooped it up, and launched himself over the pile for a touchdown, extending his arm, football in hand as if he was Superman. 

The play symbolized everything about Luck’s career, toughness, survival instincts, and complete refusal to quit. It also completely shifted momentum. Indianapolis stormed back from a 28-point deficit to win 45-44, marking the second-largest comeback in NFL playoff history at the time. 

While the comeback itself is legendary, Luck’s fumble recovery remains the defining image of that game. It was messy, dramatic, and unbelievably clutch, exactly the kind of moment that cements itself onto the list of greatest Colts plays. 

Four: Kelvin Haden’s pick six in Super-Bowl XLI 

For far too long, the Colts were haunted by playoff shortcomings, and what felt like near misses. The Colts' luck finally changed during the 2006 season under head coach Tony Dungy and quarterback Peyton Manning. 

Late in Super Bowl XLI against the Chicago Bears, Indy held a slim lead while Bears quarterback Rex Grossman and the rest of the team attempted one final comeback drive.

Then, out of the blink of an eye, rookie cornerback Kelvin Hayden delivered the dagger. 

Grossman forced a throw toward the sideline, and Hayden executed a jump on the receivers' route perfectly. He intercepted the pass and ran 56 yards for a touchdown through the rain-soaked Miami field, effectively ending the game and securing the Colts’ first Super Bowl title since relocating to the circle city. 

The moment immediately went down in history. Hayden’s interception wasn’t just a touchdown; it was the release of decades of frustration for Colts fans. The image of him sprinting untouched to the end zone remains one of the defining visuals in franchise history. 

It also cemented the legacy of Manning and Dungy, proving that one of the greatest teams of the era could finally finish the job on the biggest stage. 

Three: Jim O’Brien’s game winning field goal in Super-Bowl V 

Long before the Colts traveled overnight to Indianapolis to become the team we know today, The Baltimore Colts delivered one of the most dramatic finishes football had ever seen. Super Bowl V between the Colts and the Dallas Cowboys was sloppy, fun, and filled with turnovers, but it produced an unforgettable ending. 

With just seconds remaining in the game and the score tied 13-13, kicker Jim O’Brien stepped onto the field for a 32-yard field goal attempt. What made the moment even more nerve-racking was that O’Brien had struggled earlier in the game and was kicking on a muddy surface under immense pressure. Any kicker who can’t properly plant their leg is bound to miss, so the reason for doubt is most certainly logical. 

But this time the snap came clean, the kick sailed through the uprights, and the Colts captured their first Super Bowl championship with a 16-13 victory. 

At the time, the moment represented validation for one of football’s premier organizations. The Colts had been dominant throughout the late 1950s and 1960s, but finally winning a Super Bowl gave the franchise a defining championship moment on the national stage. 

Even today, O’Brien’s kick remains one of the more infamous clutch moments in team history. 

Two: Alan Ameche’s game winning TD in the 1958 NFL Championship 

Many football historians still call the 1958 NFL Championship “The Greatest Game Ever Played.” If that game truly launched professional football into mainstream popularity, then Alan Ameche authored its final chapter. 

The Baltimore Colts and New York Giants battled through one of the most intense games the sport had ever seen, eventually heading into sudden-death overtime at Yankee Stadium of all places. With the Colts driving near the goal line, quarterback Johnny Unitas handed the ball to fullback Alan Ameche. 

Ameche powered into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown, giving Baltimore a 23-17 victory in the first overtime game in NFL history. 

The significance of the play goes beyond the Colts franchise. Millions watched the game nationally, and the dramatic finish helped elevate professional football into America’s fastest-growing sport. 

For the Colts, the touchdown became foundational mythology. Unitas, Ameche, and that 1958 team established the standard for greatness within the organization, creating one of the most important moments not just in franchise history, but in league history as well. 

One: Marlin Jackson intercepting Tom Brady in the 2007 AFC Championship 

No moment in Colt's history carries more emotion, significance, and relief than Marlin Jackson’s interception in the 2006 AFC Championship Game. 

For years, Peyton Manning and the Colts had lived under the shadow of Brady and the New England Patriots. Playoff losses piled up, criticism intensified, and many doubted whether Indianapolis would ever overcome its biggest rival. 

That changed on Jan. 21, 2007. 

Trailing 21-3 earlier in the game, the Colts completed a furious comeback and took a 38-34 lead late in the fourth quarter. Brady got the ball one final time, needing only a field goal to crush Indianapolis again. The Colts had lived this story far too much to not know how it ended. 

But instead, with just seconds remaining, Brady’s pass floated over the middle directly into the hands of Marlin Jackson. 

As Jackson fell to the turf, the stadium erupted. Manning sprinted down the field in celebration while fans realized the curse was finally over. 

The interception sent the Colts to Super Bowl XLI, where they would eventually defeat the Bears for a championship as previously mentioned. More importantly, it represented a changing of the guard. Indianapolis had finally conquered New England on the biggest stage possible. 

Out of every play in Colt's history, none carried more weight. Marlin Jackson’s interception wasn’t just another turnover it was the moment an entire era of frustration finally disappeared.  

Conclusion 

Of course, discussing any type of history comes with disagreements about placement, importance, or fame. But these plays carried such weight, such versatility in emotion that I feel it’s hard to disagree with.  

Today, the 2026 Indianapolis Colts are looking to add themselves to this list. Clutch throws, powerhouse runs, or game sealing defensive plays have been made sense these moments, but what do the various Colts teams have to show for it? Pride, motivation, anger? It isn’t enough. The make-or-break title is the label for this year for a reason. Playing the Indianapolis Colts brand of football, we all have either heard of or seen and cementing the team into the rightful place of Colts history just feels right, it’s what we know. But having gone over a brief history of the team, the franchise can only experience so much adversity without finally pulling through and winning the big one, so be prepared.  

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