| Team: | Indianapolis Colts |
| Year: | 2016 |
| Division Place: | 3rd AFC South |
| Owner: | Jim Irsay |
| General Manager: | Ryan Grigson |
| Stadium: | Lucas Oil Stadium |
| Record: | 8–8 |
| Playoffs: | Did not qualify |
| Pro Bowlers: | WR T. Y. Hilton P Pat McAfee |
| Shortnavlink: | Colts seasons |
The 2016 Indianapolis Colts season was the franchise's 64th season in the National Football League (NFL) 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.[1]
| Position | Player | 2016 Team | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UFA | Signed 5-year/$36 million deal | |||
| UFA | Indianapolis Colts | Signed 4-year/$29.4 million deal | ||
| RFA | Indianapolis Colts | Signed 1-year/$1.67 million tender | ||
| UFA | Cleveland Browns | |||
| UFA | Retired | |||
| UFA | TBA | |||
| RFA | ||||
| UFA | Indianapolis Colts | Signed 2-year/$6 million deal | ||
| UFA | TBA | |||
| ERFA | Indianapolis Colts | Signed 1-year/$600,000 tender | ||
| UFA | Signed 3-year/$7.2 million deal | |||
| UFA | Signed 1-year/$840,000 deal | |||
| UFA | Signed 1-year/$840,000 deal | |||
| UFA | ||||
| UFA | Signed 3-year/$12 million deal | |||
| Player re-signed by the Colts | Player signed with a different team | Player retired |
| Position | Player | College | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Danny Anthrop | ||||
| Devon Bell | Camp Tryout | |||
| Camp tryout | ||||
| Linebacker | Camp tryout | |||
| Camp tryout | ||||
| Camp tryout | ||||
| Camp tryout | ||||
| Offensive tackle | ||||
| Forrest Hill | Camp tryout | |||
| Camp tryout | ||||
| Wide receiver | Camp tryout | |||
| Offensive tackle | Camp tryout | |||
| Wide receiver | ||||
| Safety | ||||
| Wide receiver | ||||
| Punter | Brock Miller | Camp tryout | ||
| Tight end | ||||
| Cornerback | ||||
| Camp Tryout | ||||
| Outside linebacker | Camp tryout | |||
| Outside linebacker | Camp tryout | |||
| Quarterback | Ammon Olsen | Southern Utah | Camp tryout | |
| Cornerback | Leviticus Payne | Cincinnati | Camp tryout | |
| Linebacker | Terrance Plummer | UCF | Camp tryout | |
| Running back | Chase Price | San Diego State | Camp tryout | |
| Offensive tackle | ||||
| Wide receiver | ||||
| Linebacker | Anthony Sarao | |||
| Defensive lineman | Delvon Simmons | USC | ||
| Wide receiver | ||||
| Wide receiver | Logan Sweet | UCLA | Camp tryout | |
| Defensive lineman | Justin Thomason | North Carolina | Camp tryout | |
| Outside Linebacker | $15,000 bonus | |||
| Cornerback | Darius White | |||
| Cornerback | Purdue | Camp tryout, Signed | ||
| Safety | Andrew Williamson | |||
| Running back | Storm Woods | Oregon State | Camp tryout |
See main article: article and 2016 NFL draft.
| Round | Selection | Player | Position | College | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | Alabama | ||||
| 2 | 57 | T. J. Green | Clemson | ||
| 3 | 82 | Le'Raven Clark | Texas Tech | ||
| 4 | 116 | Texas | |||
| 4 | 125 | Florida | |||
| 5 | 155 | Offensive tackle | North Dakota State | ||
| 7 | 239 | Maine | |||
| 7 | 248 | Center | Iowa |
On February 16, the NFL announced that the Colts would play the Green Bay Packers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game. The game would have occurred on Sunday, August 7, at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, but the game was cancelled due to field conditions. However, the two teams met during the regular season in Green Bay.
The remainder of the Colts' preseason opponents and schedule were later announced on April 7.
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Game site | NFL.com recap | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOF | August 7 | vs. Green Bay Packers | Cancelled due to field conditions | ||||
| 1 | August 13 | at Buffalo Bills | W 19–18 | 1–0 | Ralph Wilson Stadium | Recap | |
| 2 | August 20 | Baltimore Ravens | L 18–19 | 1–1 | Lucas Oil Stadium | Recap | |
| 3 | August 27 | Philadelphia Eagles | L 23–33 | 1–2 | Lucas Oil Stadium | Recap | |
| 4 | September 1 | at Cincinnati Bengals | W 13–10 | 2–2 | Paul Brown Stadium | Recap | |
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Game site | NFL.com recap | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 11 | Detroit Lions | L 35–39 | 0–1 | Lucas Oil Stadium | Recap | |
| 2 | September 18 | at Denver Broncos | L 20–34 | 0–2 | Sports Authority Field at Mile High | Recap | |
| 3 | September 25 | San Diego Chargers | W 26–22 | 1–2 | Lucas Oil Stadium | Recap | |
| 4 | October 2 | at Jacksonville Jaguars | L 27–30 | 1–3 | Recap | ||
| 5 | October 9 | Chicago Bears | W 29–23 | 2–3 | Lucas Oil Stadium | Recap | |
| 6 | October 16 | at Houston Texans | L 23–26 | 2–4 | NRG Stadium | Recap | |
| 7 | October 23 | at Tennessee Titans | W 34–26 | 3–4 | Nissan Stadium | Recap | |
| 8 | October 30 | Kansas City Chiefs | L 14–30 | 3–5 | Lucas Oil Stadium | Recap | |
| 9 | November 6 | at Green Bay Packers | W 31–26 | 4–5 | Lambeau Field | Recap | |
| 10 | Bye | ||||||
| 11 | November 20 | Tennessee Titans | W 24–17 | 5–5 | Lucas Oil Stadium | Recap | |
| 12 | November 24 | Pittsburgh Steelers | L 7–28 | 5–6 | Lucas Oil Stadium | Recap | |
| 13 | at New York Jets | W 41–10 | 6–6 | MetLife Stadium | Recap | ||
| 14 | December 11 | Houston Texans | L 17–22 | 6–7 | Lucas Oil Stadium | Recap | |
| 15 | December 18 | at Minnesota Vikings | W 34–6 | 7–7 | U.S. Bank Stadium | Recap | |
| 16 | at Oakland Raiders | L 25–33 | 7–8 | Oakland Alameda Coliseum | Recap | ||
| 17 | January 1 | Jacksonville Jaguars | W 24–20 | 8–8 | Lucas Oil Stadium | Recap | |
Andrew Luck would march the Colts down the field and score with 39 seconds remaining, but the Lions were able to pull out the win on a field goal by Matt Prater with 4 seconds left. The Colts would try the lateral play on the ensuing kickoff, but it would result in a safety. With the loss, the Colts started 0–1.
It was only a 3–3 game at the end of 1 quarter before CJ Anderson scored a 4-yard touchdown to take a 7-point lead. The teams would trade field goals to end the half with a 13–6 advantage for the Broncos. Robert Turbin would score a touchdown from 5 yards out to tie the game at 13. But from there, it was basically all Denver. Indy was outscored 21-7 after Turbin's touchdown, including a pick six by Aqib Talib and a scoop and score by Shane Ray off a Von Miller strip sack of Andrew Luck. Brandon McManus would also kick two field goals in that stretch as the Broncos advanced to 2-0 and the Colts fell to 0–2.
Although the Colts took an early lead in the first quarter, the Chargers kept the game close and a Josh Lambo field goal put them ahead midway through the fourth quarter; however, a 63-yard pass from Andrew Luck to T. Y. Hilton restored the Colts' advantage with less than a minute remaining, giving them their first win of the season. With the win, the Colts improved to 1–2.
NFL International SeriesWith the loss, the Colts fell to 1–3.
With the win, the Colts improved to 2–3.
The Colts led 23–9 with less than three minutes to play, but a comeback by the Texans forced overtime, where they would win on a field goal. With the loss, the Colts fell to 2–4.
With the win, the Colts improved to 3–4. They also picked up their 10th straight win over the Titans.
In a rematch of the 2013 wildcard game, the Chiefs blew out the Colts easily, 30–14. With the loss, the Colts fell to 3–5.
This was the Colts' first victory at Lambeau Field since 1988.
With their 11th straight win over the Titans, the Colts improved to 5–5.
Thanksgiving Day gameQuarterback Andrew Luck did not play due to a concussion, and his replacement Scott Tolzien was unable to prevent a 28–7 defeat, although he did throw a five-yard touchdown pass to Donte Moncrief early in the second quarter.
With the win, the Colts evened their record at 6-6.
With the loss, the Colts fell to 6–7 and were swept by the Texans for the first time in franchise history.
With the win, the Colts improved to 7-7 and remained just in the thick of the playoff race.
With the loss, the Colts fell to 7–8 and were officially eliminated from playoff contention for the second year in a row.
The Jaguars took a 17–0 lead during the second quarter, but the Colts were able to pull it back to 17–17 as the game moved into its final period. The Jaguars regained the lead with a 41-yard Jason Myers field goal inside the two-minute warning, but Andrew Luck led the Colts on a 75-yard drive that culminated with a 1-yard touchdown pass to Jack Doyle with four seconds remaining. With the win, the Colts ended their year 8–8 and snapped their two-game losing streak against the Jaguars.