Indianapolis, IN

Former Colts star Dwight Freeney named to Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2024

Published

2 years ago

February 9, 2024

Former Colts star Dwight Freeney named to Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2024

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WFIE) – The NFL tonight announced former Indianapolis Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney as an inductee into the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2024. The Class of 2024 will be formally enshrined in Canton, Ohio this August.

“Dwight built himself into one of the game’s most feared pass rushers with his trademark spin move,” said Colts Owner & CEO Jim Irsay. “He provided Colts fans with many thrilling moments as one of pro football’s all-time greats, and he truly deserves this honor.”

Freeney becomes the third Colts defensive lineman to be selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, joining Art Donovan (1968) and Gino Marchetti (1972). Freeney was originally selected by Indianapolis in the first round (11th overall) of the 2002 NFL Draft out of Syracuse. He was a member of the Colts’ Super Bowl XLI victory and was inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor in 2019. Freeney retired from the NFL as a member of Indianapolis in 2018.

Over 16 NFL seasons, Freeney played in 218 career games (157 starts) with the Colts (2002-2012), San Diego Chargers (2013-14), Arizona Cardinals (2015), Atlanta Falcons (2016), Seattle Seahawks (2017) and Detroit Lions (2017). He totaled 341 tackles (292 solo), 63.0 tackles for loss, 125.5 sacks, 16 passes defensed, 47 forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries. Freeney was a three-time Associated Press First Team All-Pro and a seven-time Pro Bowl selection.

Freeney ranks 18th in NFL history in sacks and fifth in forced fumbles (since 1994). He also appeared in 22 postseason contests (19 starts) and compiled 38 tackles (30 solo), 6.0 tackles for loss, 11.0 sacks, one pass defensed, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. Freeney is tied for sixth in league history in career postseason sacks.

In 11 seasons in Indianapolis, Freeney saw action in 163 regular season games (143 starts) and compiled 307 tackles (267 solo), 48.0 tackles for loss, 107.5 sacks, 14 passes defensed, 44 forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. He ranks second in team history in career sacks. Freeney registered at least 1.0 sack in 77 games and had 25 multi-sack games, which each rank second-most in team history. He compiled seven seasons with 10.0 or more sacks, including a career-high 16.0 sacks in 2004 (second-most in single-season team history). As a rookie in 2002, Freeney set the Colts rookie sack record with 13.0.

Joining Freeney in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2024 are linebacker Randy Gradishar, punt returner/kick returner/wide receiver Devin Hester, wide receiver Andre Johnson (played for Colts in 2015), defensive tackle Steve McMichael, defensive end Julius Peppers and linebacker Patrick Willis.

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Related Topics:2024 CLASS 93 defensive end DWIGHT FREENEY Featured Indianapolis Colts Pro Football Hall of Fame

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Indianapolis, IN

Packers announce trade with Colts

Published

5 hours ago

March 11, 2026

Press Room

The Green Bay Packers have acquired LB Zaire Franklin in a trade with the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for DL Colby Wooden. Packers General Manager Brian Gutekunst announced the transaction Wednesday.

(ZI-air) Franklin (6-0, 235), a ninth-year player out of Syracuse University, was originally selected by the Colts in the seventh round (No. 235 overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft. He played in 132 games with 82 starts for Indianapolis from 2018-25, recording 707 tackles (395 solo), 34 tackles for a loss, 10 sacks, 26 passes defensed, three interceptions, 11 forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Franklin also registered 31 special teams stops and a blocked punt with the Colts. The six-time team captain (2020-25) led the league with 173 tackles (93 solo) and ranked No. 2 in the NFL with a career-high five forced fumbles in 2024, earning second-team All-Pro honors from The Associated Press as well as his first career Pro Bowl selection.

From 2022-25, Franklin led the NFL in tackles (643) and ranked No. 2 in solo tackles (364). Dating back to 2000 (per TruMedia), he is the only NFL player to register 600-plus tackles (643), 10-plus sacks (10) and 10-plus forced fumbles (11) over a four-season span (2022-25). Franklin finished in the top five in the NFL in tackles in three straight seasons (No. 4 in 2022, No. 2 in 2023, No. 1 in 2024), the only player in the league to accomplish that feat over that span. He posted 10-plus tackles in 34 games from 2022-25, the most in the NFL over that span and the most in Colts history. Franklin has missed just one game due to injury in his career and ranks No. 1 among NFL linebackers in games played (132) since 2018. He will wear No. 44 for the Packers.

Wooden, who was selected by the Packers in the fourth round (No. 116 overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft, played in 47 regular-season games with 17 starts for Green Bay in three seasons (2023-25), recording 87 tackles (45 solo), nine tackles for a loss, a half-sack, seven QB hits and three passes defensed. He also appeared in four postseason contests with one start for the Packers.

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Indianapolis, IN

FBI arrests suspect at Indianapolis International Airport

Published

17 hours ago

March 11, 2026

Press Room

FBI arrests suspect at Indianapolis International Airport

INDIANAPOLIS — A suspect was placed under arrest by the FBI at the Indianapolis International Airport on Tuesday, a spokesperson for the FBI Indianapolis said.

The official told WRTV the man was a suspect in a non-fatal shooting in Indianapolis that happened in the early hours of March 6, 2026.

The man, who the FBI says is a convicted felon, was first located in El Paso, Texas. He later flew to Denver, Colorado, where he boarded a plane to Indianapolis.

The FBI Indianapolis’ Violent Crimes Task Force took him into custody without incident as he deplaned in Indianapolis.

The FBI Indianapolis official added that the suspect was on federal supervised release for a previous drug trafficking case.

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Indianapolis, IN

ALERT DAY: Tornado threat north this evening; severe threat sinks south overnight

Published

1 day ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

ALERT DAY: Tornado threat north this evening; severe threat sinks south overnight

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TORNADO & HAIL THREAT NORTH THIS EVENING
STORMS SINK SOUTH OVERNIGHT
STORMY FOR THE WEDNESDAY MORNING COMMUTE

Severe weather will be possible for some this evening in northern locations. Most of central Indiana will remain storm-free until after midnight. The rare (for Indiana) Moderate Risk has been issued for far northwestern parts of the state this evening. Super-cell storms are expected to develop and move northeast along a cold front. Strong tornadoes will be possible, as well as very large hail, up to baseball size, in the most intense storms. The Moderate Risk is a threat level 4 out of 5.

WRTV

The best chance for the most severe storms this evening will be north of a line from Lafayette to Hartford City. If you live in this area, be very weather aware this evening and have a plan in place with your family. South of that line, we likely won’t see much storm activity until after midnight. This is when the line will start to sink south. It will weaken as it does so, but severe weather will still be possible, as well as flooding from very heavy rain.

Plan ahead for your Wednesday morning commute. Whether or not the storms are still severe, heavy rain is expected, and localized flooding will also be possible. The ground is very saturated from all the recent rain. Strong wind, hail, and even an isolated tornado will still be possible. The severe threat is just lower given the timing and how this will unfold in the weather setup.

Once the rain ends and we start to clear out, temperatures will tumble.

Indianapolis Weather Forecast:
This Evening: Severe storms north. Mostly cloudy elsewhere.
Overnight: Storms sink south. Low: 64°
Tomorrow: Stormy morning. Then drying out. Temps fall. High: 69°
Thursday: Mostly sunny. High: 49°

Indianapolis 7-Day Weather Forecast