It was Friday the 13th, but for a handful of Colts season ticket members – it was their lucky day.
Chip Roth was in his office in Indianapolis when Colts linebacker Najee Goode walked in with Colts cheerleaders and handed him a box.
"Happy Friday!" said Goode. "We want you to open this up, courtesy of the Indianapolis Colts, delivered by me and our Colts staff."
"I've been a season ticket holder since day one when they moved here," said Roth. "I was a Cowboys fan forever. That first year, I even cheered for the Cowboys against the Colts. But that quickly changed."
Inside the box was a commemorative 35th season ticket, which he was proud to display on his desk.
NFL football is what brought Roth in. But the game day experience is what's kept him coming back for 35 seasons.
"I do it for pleasure and we do it for business. And business turns into pleasure. It's been great," he said. "I just love going."
The next stop for Goode was the Northside church where Martha Nommay works.
"Martha?" he said, as she walked into the lobby.
"Yes?" she laughed.
"We want to proudly bring to you a surprise and we want you to open it up," he said. "We heard that you've proudly supported the Colts for 35 seasons."
"It's been a great run," she said.
A football fan her entire life, when the Colts came to town, Nommay was lucky enough to get season tickets that first year – and she's held onto them ever since.
"I love it," she said. "The whole thing. The game day and just the excitement of watching everything happen. I sat through all those years when they didn't win any games and I said, 'Some day, they're going to be good.' And I waited long enough."
Later that day, Colts center Deyshawn Bond showed up at the door of Gary Gardner's Carmel home with Colts cheerleaders and Blue.
"Hey, surprise! I'm Deyshawn Bond with the Colts organization. We've got a special delivery of your season tickets this year. Thank you for being a day one fan since 1984. I really appreciate you, sir."
"Thank you, this is really cool," Gardner responded.
When the Colts came to town, Gardner and his dad were all in.
"I love NFL football. I like to support the home team – some great times and some bad times. The early years were pretty rough. But it was just fun. It was just fun to be down there," he said.
Even when the football wasn't great, the team still made him proud.
"I just think the Colts are a really classy organization. I think they really do things the right way."
And showing up at his house with his season tickets was a nice surprise.
"Very impressive," he said. "It makes me feel very special."
From there, they headed north to Noblesville, where they surprised Jim Pandoli at his workplace.
"Thank you for being a fan and a ticket holder since 1984, since we got here. We want to thank you so much for that and we want to deliver these personally to you at your job," Bond said. "We've got my friend, Blue, right here – making himself at home."
"Thank you so much," said Pandoli.
The two found out they had more in common than just the Colts.
"I went to Warren," said Pandoli.
"I played football at Warren," Bond said. "I graduated in 2012. Now I'm here playing for the home town."
The houses they grew up in were just down the street from each other.
"I'm an East Side boy," Pandoli said.
"Yes, sir. Me too," said Bond. "It's awesome."
When Pandoli got his season tickets back in 1984, they were about two things – football and family.
"One, I'm a football fan. Two, I've got a grandson and nephews and these are tickets that we're keeping so we can give them to the kids as they grow up."
There's nothing like spending family time cheering on the Colts. And that's what these season ticket members have done for 35 seasons now.
"I was pretty excited to even meet these people because before I was even born, they were supporting the Colts," said Bond. "I was honored to be able to meet them and be able to shake their hand because they're very important – almost as important as the players."
The fans play a key role on game day. And just like the fans expect the players to bring their best game to Lucas Oil Stadium, the players rely on the fans to do the same.
"Especially playing on defense, we need the stadium loud," said Goode. "Go crazy!"
Over the years, the players develop a special relationship with the fans – on the field and off.
"They're happy to see us. We're happy to see them," Bond said. "It just brings joy in the room when you get to meet each other."
But when a player shows up at your home or workplace, it's a memorable experience for everyone.
"We got to show them how involved we are and you love to see how involved and dedicated they are," said Goode, "and that builds on each other. We're a football family."
Families support each other for better or worse, in sickness and health, through good times and bad.
The Colts are celebrating their 35th anniversary in Indianapolis.
And there aren't enough ways to show their appreciation to their most loyal fans.
