In late October 1997, active Indianapolis Colts starting quarterback Jim Harbaugh shocked the NFL world by fracturing his throwing hand. Instead of a standard football injury, Harbaugh broke it during a physical fight against retired Buffalo Bills legend Jim Kelly.

"I regret throwing the punch, but I felt I had to do something since my toughness was being questioned," Harbaugh, the former Michigan Wolverines quarterback and also their head coach in the future, addressed his reaction.

Harbaugh went looking for Kelly, who was in San Diego getting ready to cover the game against Indianapolis the next day. The physical clash started because Kelly made critical comments about Harbaugh during a local Buffalo pregame broadcast.

Kelly explicitly labeled Harbaugh a "baby" on television, claiming the quarterback constantly "overdramatized" his physical pain and faked injuries to avoid playing.

Kelly said the Bills needed to be aggressive with Harbaugh to unsettle him. He also downplayed his “Captain Comeback” label and said his five Colts comeback wins weren’t on the level of Dan Marino or John Elway.

On Saturday, October 25, 1997, Harbaugh crashed an NBC broadcast production meeting. He was uninvited because a bad ankle injury kept him sidelined. That's when he confronted Kelly directly about the comments.

"I call it the way I see it," the four-time Super Bowl participant said, standing his ground.

What started as a confrontation over an opinion of one's character went on to change the course of the NFL's future.

The Harbaugh-Colts Fallout and the Franchise Altering Draft Twist

Because the injury happened during an off-field brawl rather than an official game, the Colts front office placed him on the Non-Football Injury list. This forced him to completely forfeit roughly $140,000 per week in game checks while missing three straight games.

This incident coincided with the 1997 Colts completely falling apart. Led by head coach Lindy Infante, Indianapolis endured a miserable 0-7 start to the season.

Harbaugh faced backlash while playing through intense physical pain from a twisted ankle, making the environment incredibly tense.

The long-term impact changed NFL history forever. Harbaugh's physical absence cemented the team's slide to a horrific 3-13 record, securing Indianapolis the top pick in the 1998 draft.

The Colts drafted Peyton Manning. And Manning went on to win them a Super Bowl and completely transformed the entire franchise. Meanwhile, a healed Harbaugh was traded away to the Baltimore Ravens.

What do you think of Harbaugh's attempt to defend his toughness? Let us know your opinion in the comments.

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Written by

Nisarga Aseem Barkule

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar