This article is about the American football team that had a 31-year tenure in the city of Baltimore, Maryland. For other usages, see Baltimore Colts (disambiguation). The Baltimore Colts, founded in 1953, played in the National Football League from 1953 to 1983. The team was named the Colts for Baltimore's rich history of horse racing. The Colts franchise moved to Indianapolis, Indiana between the 1983 and 1984 seasons.