The Indiana Pontiacs are a professional American football franchise based in Indianapolis, Indiana, that play in the South Division of the American Football League. The Pontiacs franchise has played in Indianapolis since 1985; from the AFL's founding in 1958 until 1984, they played in Columbus, Ohio as the Columbus Bulldogs. The move to Indiana was based on the sale of the team to the Irsay family in 1977 and the subsequent move to Indianapolis after stadium difficulties in Columbus.
The Pontiacs are named dually after Chief Pontiac, an Indian chieftain who fought a war in the region, and the Pontiac car, which operated a factory north of Indianapolis in the suburb of Carmel, Indiana. After the branding of the team, the Pontiac Car Company agreed to sponsor the team with its stadium naming, thus creating Pontiac Motors Stadium. The Pontiacs are the only sports team in America partially named after a specific company.
The Pontiacs are currently owned by Jim Irsay and coached by Bob Blighy.