
Tom Brady has spent most of his career standing in the Indianapolis Colts' way. Now, even he’s admitting the Colts are on top of the football world.
In his latest power rankings, the seven-time Super Bowl champion officially moved the Colts to the top spot — a move that clearly pained him to make. Even Brady couldn’t deny what’s happening in Indianapolis.
"Could the AFC run through Indy this year? I feel sick just saying that."
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 28, 2025
A new team has taken over the No. 1 spot in @TomBrady's Power Rankings this week! pic.twitter.com/x6jyulEWFo
Brady took a deep breath before admitting what everyone else already knew.
“I’m not gonna lie, I didn’t wanna do it, but I can’t ignore 7-1. The Colts have arrived, and they’re finally the number one team in my power rankings,” Brady said.
The quote alone was enough to make Colts fans double-take. The same guy who spent two decades ruining Colts playoff runs is now calling them the best team in football.
From 2001 through 2019, Brady faced the Colts 20 times, going 15-5 and outscoring them 617 to 403. Unfortunately, few quarterbacks in NFL history have caused more collective trauma to one city.
But those matchups also produced some of the league’s greatest offensive shootouts. Indianapolis scored 30-plus points on Brady three times in a four-year span — including the 35-34 thriller in 2009 and the iconic 38-34 2006 AFC Championship comeback.
Sign Up For the Colts Daily Digest - OnSI’s Indianapolis Colts Newsletter
Now, the Colts have flipped the script entirely. The 2025 Shane Steichen offense has been an unsolvable riddle, averaging over a point per minute of possession and outscoring opponents by more than 100 points through eight weeks.
That's a level of precision this franchise hasn’t seen since the Peyton Manning era.
Even Brady had to acknowledge the momentum. And whether he liked it or not, he sounded impressed.
“Their only loss came against another top-five team on the road in L.A.,” Brady said. “They deserve to be on top of the pile. With a favorable schedule in the second half of the season, could the AFC run through Indy this year? I feel sick just saying that.”
The case for Jonathan Taylor as MVP can be made as the Colts take the number one spot in our latest NFL power rankings.
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) October 28, 2025
And the Packers are looking like legitimate title contenders. pic.twitter.com/9rcJItitmq
That “sick” feeling probably comes from years of flashbacks to Manning, Reggie Wayne, and Marvin Harrison lighting up the scoreboard. Brady spent two decades entrenched in the rivalry, but he never quite silenced the Colts’ firepower.
That line might make him uneasy, but it makes perfect sense to everyone in Indianapolis.
The Colts have earned every bit of this spotlight — and when even Brady has no choice but to call them the best, it’s official: the Colts have arrived, and the rest of the AFC is on notice.
More must-reads:
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!