2001 Indianapolis Colts season

Offseason

NFL draft

Main article: 2001 NFL draft

Undrafted free agents

Personnel

Staff

• Owner and chief executive officer – Jim Irsay

• President – Bill Polian

• Director of football operations – Dom Anile

• Director of pro player personnel – Clyde Powers

• Assistant director of football operations – Chris Polian

• Director of player development – Steve Champlin

• Coordinator of player personnel – John Becker

• Director of college scouting – Mike Butler

• Head coach – Jim E. Mora

• Assistant head coach/defensive backs – George Catavolos

• Offensive coordinator – Tom Moore

• Quarterbacks – John Hufnagel

• Running backs – Gene Huey

• Receivers – Jay Norvell

• Tight ends – Tony Marciano

• Offensive line – Howard Mudd

• Defensive coordinator – Vic Fangio

• Defensive line – Todd Grantham

• Linebackers – Mike Murphy

• Defensive assistant – John Pagano

• Special teams – Kevin Spencer

• Strength and conditioning – Jon Torine

• Assistant strength and conditioning – Richard Howell

Roster

Regular season

Schedule

Standings

Season summary

The Colts suffered the second losing season of Peyton Manning's career. After opening with great wins over the Jets and Buffalo, the Colts were crushed twice in three games by the Patriots with a loss to Oakland in between. Two more wins followed to bring the Colts to 4–3, but they followed this up with two more losses heading into their matchup with the San Francisco 49ers at home on November 25. The 49ers entered the game having only lost twice to that point in the season, but had struggled to put up points and had barely beaten the Carolina Panthers, who would only record one win that season, the week before.

The Colts, needing the victory, instead turned the ball over five times. Manning threw four interceptions, two to Ahmed Plummer and two more to Zack Bronson including one that was returned for a touchdown. The 49ers scored 23 total points off of the five Indianapolis turnovers. Despite outgaining the 49ers, the Colts lost the game 40–21 and after the game, head coach Jim Mora sharply criticized his offense's effort, especially Manning's four interceptions.

During the press conference, a reporter asked Mora a question about the Colts' playoff chances now that the team was 4–6. Mora, who had not heard what was said, asked him to repeat the question. When the question was repeated, Mora responded by dismissing the suggestion that the Colts could make the postseason in the following manner:

A few days later, Manning spoke to reporters ahead of the Colts' next game with the defending Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens and sharply criticized Mora's handling of the situation. He said that he did not appreciate being called out in public like he had been and that if Mora had a problem with him he should have spoken to him directly. This caused Mora to backtrack on his previous statements, but the damage was done.

The Colts went on to finish 6–10 and Mora was fired after the season for refusing to fire then defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. Mora felt the team needed better players on defense rather than fire Fangio as Mora could not fire a friend. Vic Fangio was fired anyway, and eventually became the defensive coordinator for the expansion Houston Texans the following year.

Manning threw 23 interceptions during the season, the highest number of his career following his rookie season. He was sacked a career-high 29 times.

Notes

References

References

1. [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/tgl_finder.cgi?request=1&match=single&year_min=1947&year_max=2011&game_type=R&game_num_min=0&game_num_max=99&week_num_min=0&week_num_max=99&game_day_of_week=&game_location=&game_result=&overtime=&league_id=&team_id=&opp_id=&conference_game=&division_game=&tm_is_playoff=&opp_is_playoff=&tm_is_winning=&opp_is_winning=&tm_scored_first=&tm_led=&tm_trailed=&c1stat=points_opp&c1comp=gt&c1val=450&c2stat=&c2comp=gt&c2val=&c3stat=&c3comp=gt&c3val=&c4stat=&c4comp=gt&c4val=&order_by=points_opp Over 450 points allowed in regular season]
2. (November 28, 2001). "Manning airs out on Colts' Mora". The Baltimore Sun.