| 2002 Pittsburgh Steelers season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | The Rooney Family |
| General manager | Kevin Colbert |
| Head coach | Bill Cowher |
| Home field | Heinz Field |
| Results | |
| Record | 10–5–1 |
| Division place | 1st AFC North |
| Playoff finish | Won Wild Card Playoffs (vs. Browns) 36–33 Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Titans) 31–34 (OT) |
| Pro Bowlers | 4
|
| AP All-Pros | 3
|
| Team MVP | Joey Porter Hines Ward |
| Team ROY | Kendall Simmons |
The 2002 season was the Pittsburgh Steelers' 70th as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League.
The Steelers were coming off a 13–3 record in 2001 and making an appearance in the AFC Championship game. The team failed to improve their 13–3 record, finishing 10–5–1, although this record was good enough for a division championship. With their finish, the Steelers became the first champions of the newly created AFC North. Bill Cowher's team won the Wild Card Game, defeating the Cleveland Browns at home, but lost to AFC South champion Tennessee Titans in the divisional round.
Week 4 saw Kordell Stewart's final game as the Steelers' starting quarterback, as he was replaced by Tommy Maddox during the game. Even though he did relieve an injured Maddox, Stewart never regained his job as he was released following the season.
| Additions | Subtractions |
|---|---|
| QB Charlie Batch (Lions) | WR Troy Edwards (Rams) |
| WR Terance Mathis (Falcons) | FS Jason Simmons (Texans) |
| K Todd Peterson (Chiefs) |
| 2002 Pittsburgh Steelers draft | |||||
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 30 | Kendall Simmons | Guard | Auburn | |
| 2 | 63 | Antwaan Randle El | Wide receiver | Indiana | |
| 3 | 94 | Chris Hope * | Safety | Florida State | |
| 4 | 128 | Larry Foote | Linebacker | Michigan | |
| 5 | 166 | Verron Haynes | Running back | Georgia | |
| 6 | 202 | Lee Mays | Wide receiver | Texas El Paso | |
| 7 | 212 | Lavar Glover | Defensive back | Cincinnati | |
| 7 | 242 | Brett Keisel * | Defensive end | Brigham Young | |
| Made roster * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career | |||||
| Player | Position | College |
|---|---|---|
| Matt Anderson | Center | Texas |
| Will Bouton | Linebacker | Furman |
| Leon Brockmeier | Tackle | Northwestern |
| Josh Burr | Tackle | South Dakota |
| Dallas Davis | Wide receiver | Colorado State |
| James Harrison | Linebacker | Kent State |
Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
| Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
|
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | August 8 | New York Jets | L 16–6 | 0–1 | Heinz Field | 57,251 | Recap |
| 2 | August 18 | at Washington Redskins | L 35–34 | 0–2 | FedExField | 70,310 | Recap |
| 3 | August 24 | at Detroit Lions | W 34–22 | 1–2 | Ford Field | 59,262 | Recap |
| 4 | August 29 | Minnesota Vikings | W 17–14 | 2–2 | Heinz Field | 57,062 | Recap |
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 9 | at New England Patriots | L 14–30 | 0–1 | Gillette Stadium | 68,436 | Summary |
| 2 | September 15 | Oakland Raiders | L 17–30 | 0–2 | Heinz Field | 62,260 | Summary |
| 3 | Bye week | ||||||
| 4 | September 29 | Cleveland Browns | W 16–13 (OT) | 1–2 | Heinz Field | 62,864 | Summary |
| 5 | October 6 | at New Orleans Saints | L 29–32 | 1–3 | Louisiana Superdome | 67,734 | Summary |
| 6 | October 13 | at Cincinnati Bengals | W 34–7 | 2–3 | Paul Brown Stadium | 63,900 | Summary |
| 7 | October 21 | Indianapolis Colts | W 28–10 | 3–3 | Heinz Field | 62,800 | Summary |
| 8 | October 27 | at Baltimore Ravens | W 31–18 | 4–3 | PSINet Stadium | 69,638 | Summary |
| 9 | November 3 | at Cleveland Browns | W 23–20 | 5–3 | Cleveland Browns Stadium | 73,718 | Summary |
| 10 | November 10 | Atlanta Falcons | T 34–34 (OT) | 5–3–1 | Heinz Field | 62,779 | Summary |
| 11 | November 17 | at Tennessee Titans | L 23–31 | 5–4–1 | Adelphia Coliseum | 68,804 | Summary |
| 12 | November 24 | Cincinnati Bengals | W 29–21 | 6–4–1 | Heinz Field | 60,473 | Summary |
| 13 | December 1 | at Jacksonville Jaguars | W 25–23 | 7–4–1 | Alltel Stadium | 55,260 | Summary |
| 14 | December 8 | Houston Texans | L 6–24 | 7–5–1 | Heinz Field | 58,551 | Summary |
| 15 | December 15 | Carolina Panthers | W 30–14 | 8–5–1 | Heinz Field | 58,586 | Summary |
| 16 | December 23 | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | W 17–7 | 9–5–1 | Raymond James Stadium | 65,684 | Summary |
| 17 | December 29 | Baltimore Ravens | W 34–31 | 10–5–1 | Heinz Field | 61,961 | Summary |
Note: Intra-divisional opponents are in bold text.
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
| Patriots | 7 | 3 | 17 | 3 | 30 |
at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raiders | 10 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 30 |
| Steelers | 7 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
With the loss, the Steelers went 0-2 heading into their bye week.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Browns | 3 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 13 |
| Steelers | 0 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 16 |
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Kordell Stewart began the game, going 15–25 for 143 yards, but was intercepted by Robert Griffith of the Browns. At this point his Pittsburgh career all but ended when he was benched and replaced by backup Tommy Maddox, who hadn't thrown a pass in the NFL since 1995 with the Giants but had resurrected his career with stints with the New Jersey Red Dogs in the Arena Football League and a championship season in the ill-fated XFL. With the Steelers down 13–6, Maddox found Plaxico Burress for the tying touchdown just before the two-minute warning. The game went to overtime, but Maddox was picked off on his first throw of the extra quarter. The Browns, however, gagged when Phil Dawson missed a 45-yard field goal try. With new life the Steelers led by Maddox marched in range for Todd Peterson's 31-yarder and the 16–13 final.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 0 | 14 | 7 | 8 | 29 |
| Saints | 10 | 9 | 10 | 3 | 32 |
at Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
Tommy Maddox made his first start replacing an ineffective Kordell Stewart
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 7 | 17 | 7 | 3 | 34 |
| Bengals | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
at Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colts | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
| Steelers | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 28 |
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 14 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 31 |
| Ravens | 0 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 18 |
at Ravens Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 3 | 14 | 0 | 6 | 23 |
| Browns | 7 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 20 |
at Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Falcons | 0 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 0 | 34 |
| Steelers | 3 | 14 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 34 |
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
In the first NFL tie since 1997, Tommy Maddox erupted with 473 passing yards (a club record that stood until Ben Roethlisberger broke it in 2009) and connected on four touchdown throws in his first matchup against the coach who drafted him in Denver, Dan Reeves. Reeves' Falcons, however, were surging behind the running of sophomore quarterback Michael Vick. A 34–17 Steelers lead in the fourth could not be held as Warrick Dunn and Vick rushed the Falcons in range for a one-yard Bob Christian rushing touchdown, a Jay Feely field goal, and finally the tying Vick rushing score with 32 seconds remaining in regulation. In overtime the Steelers drove to range of a 48-yard field goal try by Todd Peterson, this after he'd missed a 40-yarder in regulation. The Falcons' Brian Finneran had caught six passes for 72 yards, but in his career debut on special teams he pulled off the play of the game by blocking the kick. Late in the extra quarter Maddox was picked off by Kevin Mathis, but the subsequent 56-yad Feely try was blocked, with one second left on the clock. Maddox launched a desperation heave and Burress caught it, but was ruled down at the one-foot line with the game declared over. This would be the last time the Steelers would tie until Week 1 of the 2018 season.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 7 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 23 |
| Titans | 7 | 7 | 14 | 3 | 31 |
at Adelphia Coliseum, Nashville, Tennessee
Maddox's career nearly ended in tragedy as he threw a pass that Hines Ward turned into a 72-yard touchdown, but after completing just 14 of 28 throws for 194 yards and three picks he was sacked; the hit left him briefly paralyzed and he was taken to the hospital on a stretcher. He recovered from the hit but Kordell Stewart had to come off the bench for what turned out to be his final three games with the Steelers. He completed 13 of 17 throws for two touchdowns and the Steelers also completed two two-point tries. It wasn't enough as the Titans behind 257 passing yards (with two touchdowns) by Steve McNair and 121 rushing yards (McNair and Eddie George accounted for 103 of them) won 31–23.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bengals | 0 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
| Steelers | 14 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 29 |
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 6 | 10 | 3 | 6 | 25 |
| Jaguars | 7 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 23 |
at Alltel Stadium, Jacksonville, Florida
Kordell Stewart made his last start as a Steelers quarterback, running for a touchdown. Jeff reed kicked six field goals. Maddox regained his starting position the following week despite Stewart performing well.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texans | 14 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 24 |
| Steelers | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
The Steelers were stunned at home against the expansion Houston Texans, failing to find any offensive footing at all. With the embarrassing loss, the Steelers fell to 7-5-1.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panthers | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
| Steelers | 7 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 30 |
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
| Buccaneers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ravens | 7 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 31 |
| Steelers | 7 | 13 | 0 | 14 | 34 |
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| AFC North | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
| (3) Pittsburgh Steelers | 10 | 5 | 1 | .656 | 6–0 | 8–4 | 390 | 345 | W3 |
| (6) Cleveland Browns | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 3–3 | 7–5 | 344 | 320 | W2 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 3–3 | 7–5 | 316 | 354 | L2 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 2 | 14 | 0 | .125 | 0–6 | 1–11 | 279 | 456 | L1 |
| # | Team | Division | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | SOS | SOV | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division leaders | ||||||||||||
| 1 [lower-alpha 1] | Oakland Raiders | West | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 4–2 | 9–3 | .529 | .531 | ||
| 2 [lower-alpha 1] | Tennessee Titans | South | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 6–0 | 9–3 | .479 | .474 | ||
| 3 | Pittsburgh Steelers | North | 10 | 5 | 1 | .656 | 6–0 | 8–4 | .486 | .451 | ||
| 4 [lower-alpha 2] | New York Jets | East | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 4–2 | 6–6 | .500 | .500 | ||
| Wild Cards | ||||||||||||
| 5 | Indianapolis Colts | South | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 4–2 | 8–4 | .479 | .400 | ||
| 6 [lower-alpha 3] | Cleveland Browns | North | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 3–3 | 7–5 | .486 | .413 | ||
| Did not qualify for the postseason | ||||||||||||
| 7 [lower-alpha 3] [lower-alpha 4] | Denver Broncos | West | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 3–3 | 5–7 | .527 | .486 | ||
| 8 [lower-alpha 2] [lower-alpha 3] [lower-alpha 4] [lower-alpha 5] | New England Patriots | East | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 4–2 | 6–6 | .525 | .455 | ||
| 9 [lower-alpha 2] [lower-alpha 5] | Miami Dolphins | East | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 2–4 | 7–5 | .508 | .486 | ||
| 10 [lower-alpha 6] | Buffalo Bills | East | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 2–4 | 5–7 | .473 | .352 | ||
| 11 [lower-alpha 6] [lower-alpha 7] | San Diego Chargers | West | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 3–3 | 6–6 | .492 | .453 | ||
| 12 [lower-alpha 7] | Kansas City Chiefs | West | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 2–4 | 6–6 | .527 | .516 | ||
| 13 | Baltimore Ravens | North | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 3–3 | 7–5 | .506 | .384 | ||
| 14 | Jacksonville Jaguars | South | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 1–5 | 4–8 | .506 | .438 | ||
| 15 | Houston Texans | South | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 1–5 | 2–10 | .518 | .492 | ||
| 16 | Cincinnati Bengals | North | 2 | 14 | 0 | .125 | 0–6 | 1–11 | .537 | .406 | ||
| Tiebreakers [lower-alpha 8] | ||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wild Card | January 5 | Cleveland Browns | W 36–33 | 1–0 | Heinz Field | 62,595 | Summary |
| Divisional | January 11 | at Tennessee Titans | L 31–34 (OT) | 1–1 | Adelphia Coliseum | 68,809 | Summary |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Browns | 7 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 33 |
| Steelers | 0 | 7 | 7 | 22 | 36 |
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 0 | 13 | 7 | 11 | 0 | 31 |
| Titans | 14 | 0 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 34 |
at Adelphia Coliseum, Nashville, Tennessee
See: 2003 Pro Bowl
The 2006 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 74th season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League (NFL). It was the 7th season under the leadership of general manager Kevin Colbert and the 15th and last under head coach Bill Cowher, as he retired on January 5, 2007. The team failed to improve on their 11–5 record from 2005 and also failed to defend their Super Bowl XL championship, Instead, they finished the season with an 8–8 record and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2003. In the first half of the season, the Steelers record was 2-6. However, the team dramatically improved during the second half of the season, flipping their record from the first eight games and going 6-2 in their last eight.
The 2007 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 75th season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League (NFL). It was the 8th season under leadership of general manager Kevin Colbert and the first under head coach Mike Tomlin, after going 8–8 last season. The Steelers finished the year at 10–6. However, they lost 31–29 at home to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the wild-card round.
The 2007 Jacksonville Jaguars season was the franchise's thirteenth season in the National Football League (NFL) and the fifth under head coach Jack Del Rio. They improved upon their 8–8 record from 2006 when they finished third in the AFC South, and returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2005.
The 1979 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 47th season in the National Football League (NFL). The Steelers successfully defended their Super Bowl Championship from the previous year, despite not improving on their 14–2 record from last year with a 12–4 record. They went on to defeat the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl XIV. The Steelers started out to a 4–0 record. Adding to the previous season, the Steelers had won 12 in a row. They finished the regular season at 12–4. In six of those games the opponents were held to a touchdown or less. In the playoffs Pittsburgh defeated Miami, 34–14 and then for the second consecutive season beat Houston 27–13, in the AFC championship game. The Steelers ended the decade by defeating the Los Angeles Rams 31–19 in Super Bowl XIV. Despite them and the San Diego Chargers having 12–4 records, the Chargers were awarded the top seed in the AFC because of their victory over the Steelers.
The 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 73rd season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League (NFL). It was the 6th season under the leadership of general manager Kevin Colbert and the 14th under head coach Bill Cowher. The Steelers failed to improve upon their 15–1 record from 2004 and in 2005, the Steelers struggled. At one point, they were 7–5 and in danger of missing the playoffs but rose to defeat the Chicago Bears on December 11 and started a four-game win streak to finish the season at 11–5.
The 1997 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 65th season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League.
The 1983 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 51st season in the National Football League.
The 1984 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 52nd season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League.
The 1989 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 57th season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League. They were considered a rebuilding team filled with many young players, especially after the release of longtime center Mike Webster in the offseason. The young team showed its inexperience in the first game of the season, when they lost at home to the archrival Cleveland Browns 51–0. The loss marked the Steelers worst defeat in franchise history. The following week wasn't much better, losing 41–10 to another division rival, the defending AFC Champion Cincinnati Bengals.
The 1995 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 63rd season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League (NFL).
The 1998 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 66th season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League (NFL).
The 1999 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise’s 67th season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League.
The 2000 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 68th season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League.
The 2001 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 69th season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League. After finishing the previous three seasons a combined 22–26, the Steelers returned to the top seed in the AFC, rolling to a 13–3 record in their first playoff berth and AFC Central title since 1997 and playing at Heinz Field. The Steelers went 7–1 in their new home stadium, with the only loss coming to the defending Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens.
The 1979 Houston Oilers season was the franchise's 20th overall and the tenth in the National Football League. The franchise scored 362 points while the defense gave up 331 points. Their record of 11 wins and 5 losses resulted in a second-place finish in the AFC Central Division. The Oilers appeared once on Monday Night Football on December 10, 1979 where the sports promotion Luv ya Blue was launched and returned to the AFC Championship Game for the second consecutive year. Earl Campbell would lead the NFL in rushing for the second consecutive year and set a franchise record for most touchdowns in a season with 19. The Oilers would make the playoffs again as a wild card. In the wild card game, they beat the Denver Broncos 13–7, and then defeated the San Diego Chargers 17–14 in San Diego to reach their second straight AFC Championship game. The Oilers then played the Pittsburgh Steelers, who a year earlier had eliminated them 34–5 in the previous AFC Championship game. The Oilers lost the game 27–13. The game included a controversial moment in which wide receiver Mike Renfro had a touchdown called back after the referees of the game took a long time to decide the ruling on the field. The call went down as one of the most controversial calls in NFL history.
The 1999 Tennessee Titans season was the franchise's 40th season and their 30th in the National Football League (NFL). It was the first year for the team under the name “Titans”, while the nickname “Oilers” was retired by the NFL. The Titans became the seventh Wild Card team to qualify for the Super Bowl. However, after defeating the Bills, Colts, and Jaguars in the postseason, they lost the Super Bowl to the St. Louis Rams, 23–16 on a famous last-second tackle made by Rams defender Mike Jones at the goal line that prevented Titans receiver Kevin Dyson from scoring a potential game-tying touchdown. The highlight of the season was the Wild Card game against the Buffalo Bills, dubbed the Music City Miracle. In the game's closing seconds, Kevin Dyson caught a lateral on a kickoff and ran all the way down the sidelines for a touchdown. Also notable is the fact that the Titans were the only team to beat the Jaguars in 1999, as the latter finished 14–2 and lost both games to the Titans, and would lose the AFC Championship game to the Titans as well.
The 2011 Tennessee Titans season was the franchise's 42nd season in the National Football League (NFL), the 52nd overall and the 15th in the state of Tennessee. It also marked the first season under head coach Mike Munchak, replacing longtime head coach Jeff Fisher, who resigned on January 27 after 17 seasons. The team improved on their 6–10 record from 2010 and finished tied with the Cincinnati Bengals for the last playoff spot, but lost the tiebreaker due to their 24–17 loss to the Bengals in Week 9, missing the playoffs for a third consecutive season.
The 2011 season was the New England Patriots' 42nd in the National Football League (NFL) and their 52nd overall. The Patriots finished the regular season at 13–3, and represented the AFC in Super Bowl XLVI. It was the seventh Super Bowl trip in franchise history, and the fifth for head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady.
The 2015 Indianapolis Colts season was the franchise's 63rd season in the National Football League and the 32nd in Indianapolis, surpassing the 31 seasons they played in their original home city of Baltimore. It was also the fourth season under the trio of head coach Chuck Pagano, general manager Ryan Grigson and quarterback Andrew Luck. The Colts entered the 2015 season as the defending AFC South champions after compiling an 11–5 record before falling to the New England Patriots in a controversial AFC Championship game matchup.
The 2016 Indianapolis Colts season was the franchise's 64th season in the National Football League and the 33rd in Indianapolis. The Colts matched their 8–8 record from 2015, but would miss the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1997–1998. This season would also see the Colts get swept by the Houston Texans for the first time in franchise history. As a result, the Colts fired general manager Ryan Grigson after five seasons with the team. However, head coach Chuck Pagano would return the next year.
