The team was founded in 1979 by head coach Edward G. Brosky, a member of the Pittsburgh Panthers1976 national championship team. The Colts initial run lasted from 1979 until 1987, when the team took a four-year hiatus. In 1981, the team advanced to the national championship game located in San Francisco, to play against the Twin City Cougars, who later became the Oakland Invaders of the United States Football League.[2] The team also briefly disbanded after the 2000 season due its board of directors and coaching staff have become the ownership group of the Pittsburgh Ironmen, a new professional indoor football team set to begin competing in February 2001.
Brosky also played as a semi-pro football player while playing college football, until then-Panthers coach Johnny Majors found out and ended Brosky's moonlighting. When he left Pitt, Brosky continued to play for semi-pro teams in the area. He started the Colts when those other teams folded.[3] Since 1979, Brosky has either played for or coached the Colts.[4] In 2004 Lisa Horton became the first woman to throw a touchdown pass in a North America Football League game [5]
History
The Colts were founded in 1979 by owner and coach Edward G. Brosky. At the time the Colts played in the Keystone Oaks area. The team was a member of the professional American Football Association in that league's final 1983 season. From 1988 to 1996 the Colts played in Stonefield Northpark and from 1997 to 2000 played in Duquesne. Recent Locations include, Uniontown, Chartiers Valley and Carlynton. The Colts were previously members of the American, North American Football League, and Regional American Football League before Edward Brosky formed the Grassroots Football League in 2009. The Colts played in the Semi-Pro Football League from 2010 to 2014 before joining the Gridiron Developmental Football League for the 2015 season. They also played at Chartiers Valley for the 2015 season.
In the mid-1990s, Brosky struck a deal with the Northgate School District. It was during this time that two notables were linked with the team; WTAE-TV field reporter Sheldon Ingram played in the defensive backfield while future music video director Matt Dilmore served as the team's official announcer.
The Colts describe themselves as a "throwback team" based on a strong work ethic and personal values.[6] The team has been in several communities throughout its history. Most recently the team played at Ambridge High School. The Colts have interacted with the community they are in through numerous youth activities, visiting children's hospital, and having community events downtown.[7]
The Colts joined the Pennsylvania Football League (PFL) in 2017.
The Pittsburgh Colts alongside a number of National Football League free agents took part in the filming of an episode of Shaq Vs. During the episode of the ABC show, Shaquille O'Neal competed against Ben Roethlisberger in a game of 7 on 7. The teams were a mix between the Free Agents and Colts and the game was won by Big Ben's Team 21–14.[9]
