The Colts, originally based in Baltimore before moving to Indianapolis in 1984, have one of the riches histories at the quarterback position in NFL history.
From the days of Johnny Unitas to the modern era of Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck, the Colts have often been defined by their elite QB play. Indianapolis has won two Super Bowls (one in 1971 and another after the 2006 season), and while the team has had several greats walk through its doors who have left without a championship ring, Indy has also had multiple signal-callers lead the team from obscurity to postseason glory.
We took a crack at naming the best and most influential QBs throughout the Colts’ entire history, which wasn’t easy, as they’ve had some incredible talents. Our selections are below, ranked 10 to No. 1. Scroll down to see who we chose!
*Note: All awards and stats listed below are from each player’s tenure with the Colts only. All stats/awards are from Pro Football Reference unless otherwise stated.
10. Philip Rivers
GettyPhilip Rivers had a great 2020 season with the Indianapolis Colts.
Years as a Colt: 2020
Iconic performance: Week 6 of the 2020 regular season at home against the Cincinnati Bengals, Rivers out-dueled Joe Burrow, throwing for 371 yards and 3 TDs in the Colts’ 31-27 win.
Quarterback Philip Rivers spent just one season in Indianapolis, but it was a successful one. In what would be his final NFL season, Rivers went 11-5 as a starter and took the Colts to the playoffs. Indy lost to the Buffalo Bills, but that shouldn’t take away from what was one of heck of a swan song from Rivers. He played all 16 games, completing 68% of his passes (369 completions on 543 attempts) for 4,169 passing yards, 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, finishing with a passer rating of 97.0. He averaged 260.6 passing yards per game, which is excellent. We think he did just enough to crack the top 10.
9. Jeff George
GettyEx-Colts quarterback Jeff George.
Years as a Colt: 1990-1993
Iconic performance: November 25, 1990, against the Bengals, George threw for 251 yards and 3 TDs in a 34-20 victory.
This is a pick that could get a little heat, but we’re OK with it. During his four seasons with the Colts, Jeff George threw for 9,551 yards and 41 touchdowns. While these numbers aren’t elite by today’s standards, they were respectable for his time. His 9,551 yards puts him ahead of several Colts QBs in terms of total passing yards (he’s 6th on Indy’s all-time list). Despite not living up to his potential with the Colts (he was selected first overall in 1990), his acquisition had significant ripple effects, including the eventual drafting of Marvin Harrison, one of the franchise’s all-time greats, so it all worked out in the end.
8. Jacoby Brissett
GettyEx-Colts quarterback Jacoby Brissett.
Years as a Colt: 2017-2020
Iconic performance: On October 20, 2019, Brissett threw for 326 yards and 4 TDs in Indy’s 30-23 win over the Houston Texans.
After serving as a backup to Andrew Luck (more on him in a bit), Jacoby Brissett was thrust into the full-time role of starter after Luck’s sudden retirement just ahead of the 2019 regular season. His steady presence that turbulent time made him a valuable asset for the Colts, as he consistently displayed a combination of adaptability and resilience. Brissett threw for over 6,000 passing yards and 31 touchdowns during his time with the team, also rushing for 12 scores. He also earned the respect of his teammates and coaching staff with his strong work ethic, leadership and professionalism, so we think he’s worthy of the No. 8 slot.
7. Jack Trudeau
GettyEx-Colts quarterback Jack Trudeau.
Years as a Colt: 1986-1993
Iconic performance: December 17, 1989, against Dan Marino and the Miami Dolphins, Trudeau threw for 195 yards and 4 TDs in the Colts’ 42-13 win.
Jack Trudeau’s tenure with the Colts was largely defined by his role as a transitional quarterback. While he showed resilience and competence at times, his career was plagued by a high number of interceptions and an overall lack of offensive firepower from the Colts during this period. Still, his 9,647 passing yards is currently ranked 5th all time, and his 41 TD passes is No. 7 on the list, and he led the team to a division title in 1987 during a strike-shortened season.
6. Earl Morrall
Wikimedia CommonsFormer Colts QB Earl Morrall in 1965.
Years as a Colt: 1968-1971
Championships & awards:
NFL Champion (1968)
Super Bowl Champion (1970)
NFL MVP (1968)
NFL Comeback Player of the Year (1972)
Pro Bowl selection (1968)
Iconic performance: October 6, 1968, Morrall threw for 302 yards and 4 TDs in the Colts’ 28-7 win over the Chicago Bears.
From being an MVP-caliber starter to a reliable backup, Earl Morrall’s legacy with the Colts remains an essential part of the franchise’s history. Filling in for an injured Johnny Unitas in 1968, he led the Colts to a league-best 13-1 record in the regular season, taking them all the way to the Super Bowl. They lost to the New York Jets, but Morrall got another opportunity a few years later. In Super Bowl 5, Unitas was injured again, Morrall stepped in, leading Indy to a 16-13 victory, cementing the Colts’ first Super Bowl win.
5. Jim Harbaugh
GettyEx-Indianapolis Colts quarterback Jim Harbaugh.
Years as a Colt: 1994-1997
Championships & awards:
Pro Bowl selection (1995)
Iconic performance: Week 5 on the road against the Dolphins, Harbaugh went 25-33 for 319 yards and 3 TDs, bringing the team back from a 21-point deficit to win 27-24 in overtime.
When you evaluate Jim Harbaugh’s legacy with the Colts, it’s clear that his impact goes beyond just numbers. He brought the franchise out of obscurity, nearly led them to a Super Bowl, and played some of the best football of his career in Indianapolis. Harbaugh’s most iconic season with the Colts was 1995, when he led the team to the AFC Championship Game, only narrowly losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 20-16 thriller. Harbaugh earned the nickname “Captain Comeback” that season for his ability to orchestrate comeback victories in dramatic fashion. He came in at a time when the team desperately needed a leader, and he delivered.
4. Bert Jones
Wikimedia CommonsBert Jones.
Years as a Colt: 1973-1981
Championships & awards:
NFL MVP (1976)
AFC Offensive Player of the Year (1976)
First-team All-Pro (1976)
Second-team All-Pro (1977)
Pro Bowl selection (1976)
Iconic performance: October 9, 1977, Jones tossed a career-high 4 TDs in a 45-28 win over the Dolphins.
Few Colts QBs have ever had seasons like Bert Jones had in 1976. He won the NFL MVP and the AFC Offensive Player of the Year awards, throwing for 3,104 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions. Jones also led the Colts to an 11-3 record that year, winning an AFC East title in the process. Known for his deep ball accuracy and athleticism, which allowed him to extend plays outside the pocket, Jones took the Colts to the playoffs three straight years (1975-1977), although he never won in the postseason. His 122 TD passes are 4th in team history, and his 17,663 passing yards is also 4th.
3. Andrew Luck
GettyEx-Colts QB Andrew Luck.
Years as a Colt: 2012-2018
Championships & awards:
NFL Comeback Player of the Year (2018)
4-time Pro Bowl selection (2012–2014, 2018)
Iconic performance: November 4, 2012, his rookie season against Miami, Luck set a rookie record at the time with 433 passing yards and 2 TDs in a 23-20 Colts win.
The first pick of the 2012 NFL Draft, Andrew Luck made an immediate impact. He took the Colts to the playoffs in each of his first three seasons, winning the AFC South twice (2013, 2014) and advancing to the AFC Championship Game in 2014, ultimately losing to the New England Patriots. Luck led the league in touchdown passes in 2014 with 40, and he also set several NFL records, including most passing yards by a rookie in a single game (433). He threw for 23,671 yards and 171 TDs as a Colt. And he’s only No. 3…
2. Johnny Unitas
GettyFormer Colts QB Johnny Unitas.
Years as a Colt: 1956-1972
Championships & awards:
3-time NFL Champion (1958, 1959, 1968)
Super Bowl Champion (1970)
3-time NFL MVP (1959, 1964, 1967)
NFL Man of the Year (1970)
5-time first-team All-Pro (1958, 1959, 1964, 1965, 1967)
3-time second-team All-Pro (1957, 1960, 1963)
10-time Pro Bowl selection (1957–1964, 1966, 1967)
Pro Football Hall of Fame
Iconic performance: In the 1958 NFL Championship game, the Colts, led by Unitas, defeated the New York Giants 23-17 in overtime. This game is often called the “Greatest Game Ever Played” and is credited with catapulting the NFL into the national spotlight.
Johnny Unitas is widely regarded as one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history and the best player in the history of the franchise. A revolutionary at the position, Unitas helped make the passing game a focal point of modern football. His leadership on the field, combined with his ability to make split-second decisions, set a new standard for quarterbacks. Unitas was injured during the team’s Super Bowl 5 win, and he still threw a TD in the game. He finished his career with 40,239 passing yards and 290 TD passes, which ranked No. 1 all-time in league at the time of his retirement.
1. Peyton Manning
GettyEx-Colts quarterback Peyton Manning.
Years as a Colt: 1998-2010
Championships & awards:
Super Bowl Champion (2006)
Super Bowl MVP (2006)
4-time NFL MVP (2003, 2004, 2008, 2009)
NFL Offensive Player of the Year (2004)
5-time First-Team All-Pro (2003-2005, 2008-2009)
3-time second-team All-Pro (1999-2000, 2006)
11-time Pro Bowl selection (1999-2000, 2002-2010)
Pro Football Hall of Fame
Iconic performance: January 4, 2004, in his first-ever playoff win, Manning threw for 377 yards and 5 TDs in a 41-10 trouncing of the Denver Broncos.
Peyton Manning’s impact on the Colts franchise was transformative, helping turn the team into perennial contenders and elevating them to their first Super Bowl win. With Manning leading the way, the Colts reached the playoffs in nine consecutive seasons (2002-2010), and he also led them to two Super Bowl appearances (2006 and 2009). He still holds several major team passing records, including most passing yards (54,828), TD passes (399) and wins (141). But it goes way beyond stats with Manning. His skill in pre-snap adjustments, audibles, and reading defenses revolutionized the position, and he remains a candidate for greatest quarterback in NFL history.
Check out our 11th player who just missed the list, and sound off in the comments!
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