Indianapolis Colts Remove Dwight Freeney Banner From Outside of Lucas Oil Stadium

The Indianapolis Colts have chosen to make a change in the outside decoration of Lucas Oil Stadium.

Two gigantic banners, which have hung on the south side of the stadium, have been replaced. These banners hang on the outside of Lucas Oil Stadium, the part which faces the main I-70 interstate, that leads from the Indianapolis International Airport towards downtown. The banners had showcased a Colts horseshoe on one side of the building, and also had a huge picture of defensive end Dwight Freeney on the other side. It took a while, but those long-overdue changes have been made.

The Freeney banner remained on the outside of the building, even after the Colts released the future Hall-of-Famer earlier this year. After Freeney was released in February, there was a statement added to the banner that read “Thanks for the memories”. Freeney was drafted by the Colts, with the 11th overall pick in the 2002 NFL Draft. The dynamic defensive end was a seven-time Pro Bowler with the Colts, and was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2005. Freeney’s production in the reloaded Colts defense dwindled, and keeping the popular player seemed too costly. Freeney was recently picked up by the San Diego Chargers in NFL free agency.

The new banners on the south face of Lucas Oil Stadium will now feature starting safety Antoine Bethea and future Hall-of-Fame kicker Adam Vinatieri. Oddly enough, both players will have their contracts up at the end of this season, so those banners might just have to be replaced again in 2014.