Every year, NFL teams find new ways to one-up themselves—and their rivals—in the annual schedule release video arms race. And the Indianapolis Colts just dropped a masterpiece that has fans doing a double take.
Picture this: a football emblazoned with the Colts logo soaring through a blue, cloud-filled sky as the unmistakable notes of The Simpsons theme song chime in. But instead of Springfield, we're in Indianapolis. Homer Simpson carefully tongs a pigskin at the power plant. Bart scribbles a rival wide receiver's name on a chalkboard as punishment. Lisa performs a sax solo down a hallway lined with Peyton Manning's portraits. And the Colts' offensive line is scrunched together on the family's orange couch, admiring Homer's—surprisingly slimmer—physique.
What looks like a long-lost NFL crossover episode is actually the Colts' 2026 schedule release video, and it's already generating buzz across social media. The team secured the actual creators, illustrators, and voice actors from The Simpsons to produce an original animation that weaves in classic clips from the show's 800-plus episodes.
This wasn't just a lucky break—it was a strategic rebound. Last year, the Colts released a Minecraft-themed video that quickly backfired. It exceeded their rights with Microsoft and included an insensitive clip involving Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill. The video was taken down, but like a cult film, it lived on through other social accounts.
Determined to learn from that mistake, the Colts spent months brainstorming, pitching, and planning. This time, they got full cooperation from Disney, whose subsidiary ESPN will broadcast its first Super Bowl this season. The animation team provided round-the-clock edits, allowing the Colts to effectively poke fun at their own mea culpa.
"We could just tell they were so excited to go through and find these historical clips and bring them back to life," Amber Derrow, the Colts' senior director of content strategy and operations, told Front Office Sports. "They view it as just as much of a promotion as we do."
The result? A schedule release video that doesn't just announce dates—it tells a story, celebrates a rivalry, and reminds us why we love this game. Whether you're a Colts fan or just appreciate great sports marketing, this is one release you won't want to skip.