Colts To Retain Shane Steichen, Chris Ballard For 2026
While some changes could be coming on the sidelines or in the front office relatively soon, the Colts will have a large degree of stability in both regards. Head coach Shane Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard are both safe, per a team announcement. 
This news comes as little surprise. Recent indications for both Ballard and Steichen have suggested they would be safe for 2026, and that is now officially the case. Owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon will conduct a press conference on Monday, per the announcement.
Ballard and Steichen were floated as hot seat occupants entering the campaign based on their inability to find success following the Anthony Richardson selection. Expectations were tempered early with Daniel Jones at the helm, but his surprising level of play helped guide Indianapolis to a record of 8-2 at the bye. A postseason berth – and potential the AFC’s top seed – seemed well within reach. The past two months have seen a dramatic decline, however.
Jones suffered a partial fibula fracture and then an Achilles tear, ending his promising season. Injuries have also dealt a notable blow on defense in general and the secondary in particular throughout 2025. That factor, coupled with a string of challenging matchups against playoff-bound opponents, contributed to a seven-game losing streak to finish the campaign. As ESPN’s Stephen Holder notes, the Colts have become the first time in league history to finish with a losing record despite being at least six games over .500 at one point.
That unwanted piece of history would add to the case against Ballard in particular. Holder confirms, however, that the late-season collapse did not play a major role in deciding the fate of the Colts’ HC-GM combo. The team will look for better luck on the health front and for dividends from moves such as the Sauce Gardner trade, one which leaves it without a first-round pick in 2026 or ’27. Retaining Jones will loom as a major priority.
Ballard has operated as Indianapolis’ general manager since 2017. In that span, the team has gone 70-78-1, reaching the postseason on only two occasions. With just one playoff victory to his name, Ballard drew increasing criticism for his reliance on retaining in-house player for much of his tenure. 2025 saw a departure in philosophy, with the Gardner blockbuster being preceded by multiple free agent splashes. In her first full offseason running the team, Irsay-Gordon has elected to allow Ballard to continue seeing out the vision set forth last spring.
Steichen was hired in 2023 after a strong run as an offensive coordinator with the Chargers and Eagles. The 40-year-old guided the team to a 9-8 finish in his first season in place. 2025 marks the second in a row with a record of 8-9, but that run of mediocrity and an absence of playoff action will not outweigh the impressive showings from Indianapolis early this year.
The AFC South features a Jaguars team which went 13-4 in 2025 and a Texans squad preparing for its third straight playoff appearance. The Titans will likely have increased expectations for next year, Cam Ward‘s second in the NFL. The Colts will rely on familiar faces as they look to replicate the success from this fall moving forward.
Colts Expected To Retain HC Shane Steichen
The Colts’ end-of-season slide out of the playoffs has stirred some speculation about the future of head coach Shane Steichen, but he is expected to be retained for the 2026 season, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Losing the last seven games of the year is a black mark on the record of any head coach, but Steichen has a massive mitigating factor: injuries to his starting quarterback. Daniel Jones was playing on a fractured fibula in November and then tore his Achilles at the beginning of December.
Up to that point, he was – as surprising as it sounds – one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL this season and the Colts had one of the league’s best offenses. Jones still ranks among the league’s top-10 passers in yards per game, yards per attempt, completion rate, passer rating, and total QBR. It would be difficult for any team to withstand that loss.
Steichen’s success with Jones, a former top-10 pick turned reclamation project, is the Colts’ main reason to keep him. While Jones’ exact future is uncertain after his injury, the Colts appeared to be interested in re-signing him for 2026 and beyond. Since Steichen has brought out the best version of Jones, it would make little sense to move on now.
What’s more, the Colts have improved on both sides of the ball in each year of Steichen’s tenure, and 2025 was set to be his most successful season by far until Jones went down. Again, firing that head coach three years into the job feels like the wrong move.
Sill, Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon is somewhat of an unknown heading into the offseason. Similar to her late father, Jim Irsay, she has taken a hands-on approach with running the franchise. Just as some have questioned Steichen’s job security, even more have wondered if general manager Chris Ballard could be on his way out. The Colts have never won the AFC South in his nine years as general manager, but he may be given some grace for the same reason as Steichen. Ballard built what appeared to be a competitive team this year, including his aggressive trade deadline acquisition of Sauce Gardner. His ability to make that move is an indicator that his job was relatively secure, though the Colts’ late-season struggles have re-raised those questions.
Ultimately, Ballard and Steichen are expected to stay in Indianapolis, but both – especially Ballard – could find themselves on the hot seat next year.
Possibilities For QB Daniel Jones Post-Injury
Just when it seemed like everything was finally working out for Colts veteran quarterback Daniel Jones, a torn Achilles tendon has thrown a wrench in things. It was only two years ago that the Giants signed Jones to a four-year, $160MM extension just to bench him by November the next season. Now heading to free agency with a long-term recovery in front of him, there are several possibilities for how Jones’ future could play out. 
ESPN’s Dan Graziano laid out a few theories earlier this week. The first and most obvious option is that the Colts simply re-sign Jones, putting together another one- or two-year deal with some lucrative incentives, serving both parties. With how late in the year this injury has come, Jones is likely to still be rehabbing into the regular season next year. Indianapolis won’t know what to expect upon Jones’ eventual return, so they might not be willing to commit big money on a long-term deal, but they would guarantee a smaller amount in a shorter window, with a possibility for Jones to make a lot more if he can return with some amount of success.
This kind of deal would also benefit Jones, especially if he doesn’t quite like the value of the deals he ends up hearing in free agency. Some teams may lowball his value, giving him a long-term commitment while attempting to get a discount off of the injury and lock him in at a lower rate. The lower, shorter deal with incentives gives Jones a chance at hitting big money bonuses but also provides him the opportunity to renegotiate something better once he gets his sea legs back under him.
There are other options that see Jones leaving Indiana, especially considering that before the injury, he was expected to be one of the top passers on the open market. There are 30 quarterbacks set to hit free agency at the end of this season, and the only ones with talent comparable to what the 27-year-old Jones has displayed this year are Aaron Rodgers (41), Russell Wilson (36), Joe Flacco (40), and maybe Tyrod Taylor (34). Reestablishing himself as a capable starter had set Jones up for a potentially nice payday, but the injury may have altered that trajectory.
If he were to leave, Graziano’s first thought is that he could return to Minnesota. After getting cut by the Giants last year, Jones finished his season with the Vikings, backing up another resurgent veteran in Sam Darnold. Minnesota wanted to retain him but couldn’t guarantee him the starting job with first-round rookie J.J. McCarthy returning from injury. McCarthy has struggled in his first year as the Vikings’ starter, and introducing Jones back into the equation could spur his competitive instincts after he was essentially handed the job this year. It could also give McCarthy some time to sit and develop behind Jones, assuming losing the starting job doesn’t kill the 22-year-old’s confidence.
There are also plenty of options foreign to the three teams Jones has already played for. With projected cuts and contracts coming to an end after this season, the Cardinals, Falcons, Browns, Raiders, Dolphins, Saints, Jets, and Steelers are all expected to be looking at passers in the offseason. There’s also a chance Jones doesn’t even get that far in the process. Before the injury, there was a popular rumor that a franchise tag might keep him in Indianapolis. Checking in at a projected value of about $46MM, a franchise tag has become a bit less attractive of an option with the injury, but Jeremy Fowler of ESPN offered that it’s not completely off the table.
Fowler and Graziano also pointed out the possibility that, whatever the preference of Colts head coach Shane Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard, their opinions might not matter. New team owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon has been seen all season taking diligent notes, and many speculated that Steichen and Ballard were on the hot seat coming into the season. An 8-2 start that saw the team atop the AFC seemed to indicate that their seats had cooled off a bit, but the staff has seen the team lose four of their last five, and without Jones, a seven-game losing streak is certainly on the table. It’s a long shot given the success the team saw when fully healthy, but there’s a chance decision makers could be changing in Indy before the quarterback does.
Ultimately, all we can do for now is speculate and keep a close eye on how things pan out over the next four weeks to close out the regular season. This injury has been a devastating setback for a resurgent Jones campaign, but the young passer still has plenty of road ahead of him. Much remains to be seen before we find out just where that road will lead.
Philip Rivers Addresses Colts Return; Latest On Riley Leonard
Philip Rivers has not played since a narrow Colts wild-card loss to the Bills in January 2021. That ended a one-and-done stint with Indianapolis, and Rivers’ retirement accelerated the franchise’s post-Andrew Luck quarterback carousel. Somehow, Rivers is coming back to the Colts after nearly five years away, being signed to the team’s practice squad following a workout.
Despite the QB’s absence, the Colts have a high number of players (14) still around from his 2020 season in town. The Colts have hung onto the core of their team despite having missed every playoff bracket since Rivers’ first stint ended, but Daniel Jones‘ Achilles tear deals what could be a crippling blow to that nucleus’ chances of playing in another postseason game. ESPN’s Football Power Index gives the Colts a 26% chance to make the playoffs. They have gone to a historically interesting place to increase those odds.
[RELATED: Anthony Richardson Uncertain To Return From IR This Season]
Following Jones’ injury, Rivers — who turned 44 on Monday — said he wondered if Shane Steichen would call on him in this emergency circumstance. Steichen, who is four years younger than the Colts’ most recent QB signing, was with the Chargers from 2014-20. This involved a four-year overlap as QBs coach and part of the 2019 season as the Bolts’ interim OC. Rivers being close with Steichen and GM Chris Ballard, who is still in place from when he played on a one-year, $25MM deal, helped make this improbable return happen.
Steichen called Rivers on Sunday to discuss a comeback. This was not the first time Rivers was contacted about a comeback. As our Ben Levine reminded Monday, the 49ers would have started him in Super Bowl LVII had they made it past the favored Eagles following Brock Purdy‘s UCL tear.
Kyle Shanahan confirmed Wednesday (via the San Jose Mercury News’ Cam Inman) he talked with Rivers after Jimmy Garoppolo‘s December 2022 foot fracture, but the coach mentioned the team felt good about Purdy — then a rookie, the 2022 Mr. Irrelevant draftee — so it stood down on a signing. Had San Francisco made the Super Bowl that year, though, Rivers would have started. A Saints 2021 comeback also floated as a possibility, as Jameis Winston had torn an ACL.
Those overtures made a bit more sense than this one, since Rivers has been out of the game so long. The 2004 draftee said (via ESPN.com’s Stephen Holder) he discussed the comeback with his wife and a few associates before deciding to give it a try.
“[Football] is a game I love to play, a game that I thought I was done playing. Certainly, I wasn’t really hanging on to any hope of playing again,” Rivers said. “I kind of thought that ship had sailed. But something about it excited me. And it’s kind of one of those deals; the door opens and you can either walk through it and find out if you can do it or run from it.”
While not a Hall of Fame lock, Rivers is in his first year of eligibility; he was named a semifinalist for the 2026 class recently. This reemergence will delay his potential induction by at least five years. Drew Brees, the quarterback Rivers replaced in San Diego, will undoubtedly be enshrined this year after retiring in January 2021.
“I’d not given any thought of actually playing again until about 48 hours ago, to be honest with you, but this wasn’t just any place or any coach. It’s not like, ‘Oh, shoot, I’ll see what happens in the league and see if I can get ready,’” Rivers said, via the Indianapolis Star’s Nathan Brown. “The Hall of Fame is a real honor. To be mentioned with those other 25 guys, but I’m not holding my breath on that.
“And I hadn’t been counting down the years, with all respect to the Hall. If one day I can be part of that group, it would be special – no doubt about it. But the extension of that time, if that comes to be, is not a factor in my decision.”
This Rivers comeback even surpasses the duration of ex-starter Steve DeBerg‘s in the 1990s; DeBerg had retired following the 1993 season, only to be asked back for a 1998 return — also at age 44. DeBerg, however, served as Chris Chandler‘s Falcons backup that year. He made one start — against the Bill Parcells– and Bill Belichick-coached Jets — that ended with a 28-3 Jets win. Rivers’ reemergence is obviously a higher-profile transaction, and Steichen confirmed it could mean a Week 15 starting assignment against a 10-3 Seahawks team.
Steichen did not slam the door on Rivers playing even if Riley Leonard is healthy enough to go. Leonard, who suffered a PCL sprain upon relieving Jones, practiced fully today, but Holder points to Rivers being the more likely Indy starter against a high-end Seattle defense.
Rivers has considerable familiarity with Steichen’s offense, right down to using a version of it at St. Michael Catholic High (Fairhope, Ala.). That influenced his decision to return, and the six-year overlap with Steichen in San Diego and Los Angeles is poised to give the third-year Indianapolis HC a memorable decision.
Rivers is an eight-time Pro Bowler who led the Colts to an 11-5 season under Frank Reich, throwing 24 touchdown passes compared to 11 interceptions. After a down 2019, that 2020 season may play a key role in Rivers’ Hall of Fame case. It is highly unlikely this 2025 cameo will, but it certainly promises to be among the most memorable comebacks in NFL history.
“I’m not here to stinking save the year or be a hero by any means,” Rivers said, via Yahoo’s Jori Epstein. “We got to stinking run the crap out of the football and play defense and do all those things. So if that comes to be, and I’m the one that’s out there, I’m not here to try to save the day. I’m going to know where I’m limited. And as we go, it will get better, if that’s the route we end up going.”
Riley Leonard Dealing With PCL Sprain, ‘Very Real Chance’ Philip Rivers Starts For Colts
DECEMBER 10: Leonard will practice on Wednesday, according to Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star. The Colts will decide their starter by the end of the week, Erickson adds.
DECEMBER 9: The Colts’ quarterback situation remains in flux after a season-ending injury to quarterback Daniel Jones.
Riley Leonard, who finished Sunday’s game, is dealing with a Grade 1 PCL sprain, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. His status will be updated on Wednesday when the Colts release their first injury report of Week 15. That could position Philip Rivers to start within a week of re-signing in Indianapolis.
With Leonard considered day-to-day, there is a “very real chance” that Rivers starts for Indianapolis in Week 15, Rapoport added later in the day. His Monday night workout showed that he still can pass the football, but his conditioning may not be game-ready quiet yet, according to ESPN’s Eric Holder.
The Colts may have been planning to bring Rivers in regardless of Leonard’s injury, but it certainly has raised the urgency for the team to add another quarterback, especially one that could come in and play right away. Rivers is very familiar with Colts head coach Shane Steichen after spending six seasons together with the Chargers. Steichen was the team’s quarterbacks coach for four years while Rivers was the starter. Their relationship played a role in this latest reunion, per Holder.
And despite not playing in the last few years, Rivers still has a deep understanding of the Colts’ offensive scheme. After retiring, he took over as the head football coach at St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama. He has been running a version of Steichen’s offense, per CBS Sports’ J.J. Watt, with the two discussing it weekly.
This is not the only time that Rivers has considered coming out of retirement with other quarterback situations occasionally stirring some conversations, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, but none have ever made enough sense to actually pull the trigger. His past relationship with Steichen and the Colts clearly make this a different situation.
Rivers will have a short week to get into playing shape and build chemistry with his new teammates, though he has already played with a few. Left guard Quenton Nelson and right tackle Braden Smith blocked for Rivers in 2020; also in that offense were then-rookies Jonathan Taylor and Michael Pittman.
Colts To Host QB Philip Rivers
In the wake of Daniel Jones‘ season-ending Achilles injury, the Colts are hoping to keep their once-promising season afloat. As the organization looks to fill the gaping hole under center, they’re turning to a familiar face as a potential answer.
[RELATED: Colts QB Daniel Jones Suffers Achilles Tear]
According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, the Colts will host Philip Rivers for a visit tomorrow. Ian Rapoport adds that Rivers would be considered for a practice squad gig, and for the time being, Riley Leonard will be Indy’s QB1. ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes that while the Colts are interested in seeing what kind of shape Rivers is in, the QB is still determining whether he’d even want to come back and play. At the very least, Rivers is intrigued enough to travel to Indianapolis for a workout. For what it’s worth, Dianna Russini of The Athletic says the Colts currently don’t have plans to bring any other quarterback in for a workout.
If you’re keeping track at home, it’s been a bit since Rivers has been on our radar. The long-time QB made his last NFL appearance during the 2020 season, when he started all 16 games for the Colts. He was still plenty serviceable during that age-39 campaign, as Rivers guided his squad to an 11-5 record while completing 68 percent of his passes for 4,169 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. He added another two touchdowns in Indy’s playoff loss to the Bills.
Rivers subsequently announced his retirement, but he’s still resurfaced as a potential option for QB-needy teams in recent years. He was open to joining the Saints late during the 2021 campaign, and the Colts also considered a reunion that season. There was even a chance Rivers made his comeback during Super Bowl LVII; the 49ers admitted that he was their top choice had they made it to the game (all of Jimmy Garoppolo, Trey Lance, Brock Purdy, and Josh Johnson would have been sidelined). Rivers didn’t end up joining any of those squads, and he’s spent the past few years coaching high school football in Alabama. He seemed to put talks of a comeback to a rest this past summer when he inked a one-day contract to officially retire as a member of the Chargers.
Now, that long-awaited comeback may actually come to fruition with his last NFL team. Jones’ season came to an end yesterday, leaving the organization scrambling at the position. Anthony Richardson is uncertain to return this year, meaning the team may have no choice but to roll with Leonard. Even then, the sixth-round rookie is nursing his own knee injury (per ESPN’s Stephen Holder), potentially leaving Brett Rypien as the only healthy option in the organization.
Now 44 years old (today is actually his birthday), Rivers would certainly be an interesting choice to save the Colts once-promising season. The fourth-overall pick in the 2004 draft, Rivers helped guide the Chargers to six playoff appearances during his tenure with the organization. Only one of those appearances resulted in a significant run (when the Chargers lost to the Patriots in the 2007 conference championship), but Rivers did tally five playoff wins during his time with the team. He would represent the polar opposite to Leonard, who attempted only a pair of pass attempts before being forced into the lineup yesterday.
Considering his long layoff from the sport, Rivers probably wouldn’t even be considered if it wasn’t for his relationship with Colts head coach Shane Steichen. The two had a long stint working alongside each other during their respective stints with the Chargers. Steichen worked his way up to QBs coach in 2016, a role he held for three-plus seasons before earning a promotion to offensive coordinator.
To put this potential move in perspective: Rivers is currently a semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. His potential comeback would surely add an unexpected wrinkle to that endeavor.
Anthony Richardson’s Agent: Trust In Colts Is “Questionable”
Following news that Daniel Jones earned the Colts starting quarterback gig, Anthony Richardson‘s camp is starting to question his future in Indy. While speaking with ESPN’s Stephen Holder, agent Deiric Jackson expressed disappointment at the decision and hinted that his client may be looking to play elsewhere.
[RELATED: Colts Name Daniel Jones Starting QB]
“Trust is a big factor and that is, at best, questionable right now,” Jackson told Holder. “Anthony came back and made the improvements in the areas he needed to improve. And by all accounts, he had a great camp.”
While the agent didn’t explicitly mention a trade request, he did question the credibility of the organization and head coach Shane Steichen. Jackson wondered if the Colts had already made their QB decision when they handed Jones a one-year, $14MM contract back in March.
The agent also cited the team’s handling of the former fourth-overall pick during the 2024 campaign. While Richardson missed six total games last season, he was clearly benched for a pair of contests, with Steichen calling out his quarterback’s lack of preparation. Richardson was quickly inserted back into the starting lineup, but it was clear the organization wasn’t fully convinced of the player’s standing as a franchise QB.
Jackson hasn’t been the only one observing Richardson’s offseason improvements, as coaches have also lauded the player’s development since last season. The organization has also continued to state that Richardson remains in the team’s future plans, regardless of the outcome of their QB battle.
For what it’s worth, Richardson continues to say the right things, with the quarterback saying there were no “hard feelings” regarding the decision.
“[Steichen] made a decision,” he told Holder. “That’s the decision we’ve got to live with, but no hard feelings, nothing personal. I’ve just got to keep growing. I just can’t let me not being a starter stop me from going and being the person, the player that I’m supposed to be.”
Richardson is a respectable 8-7 in 15 career starts, and he’s collected 635 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns. On the flip side, he’s only completed 50.6 percent of his passes, and he’s tossed 11 touchdowns vs. 13 interceptions. Jones didn’t establish himself as a winning QB during his time with the Giants, so there’s a chance the Colts eventually pivot to Richardson in 2025. Still, that might not be enough to repair the apparent broken relationship between the two sides.
Irsay-Gordon Addresses Chris Ballard, Shane Steichen Statuses; Colts Part Ways With Morocco Brown
The Colts will go through a difficult transition this year, as Carlie Irsay-Gordon will take over as principal owner after her father’s death. Jim Irsay‘s oldest daughter had been groomed for this role, and she takes center stage at a rather unstable point with regards to Indianapolis’ roster.
Anthony Richardson has not shown much to indicate he can be what the Colts had hoped, and the former No. 4 overall pick is now out until at least training camp due to another shoulder injury. Daniel Jones is in place as a stopgap, and the former Eli Manning Giants successor could be the Colts’ eighth Week 1 starting QB since 2017. The Colts have been unable to overcome Andrew Luck‘s August 2019 retirement, and Irsay-Gordon made it known Chris Ballard and Shane Steichen must improve the operation — perhaps quickly.
“Chris and Shane know that they have things they need to fix,” Irsay-Gordon said, via the Indianapolis Star’s Joel Erickson. “We have a standard here, and it hasn’t been good enough. Winning is great, but I would even take it a step further and say we’re really committed to being the best. If we’re the best, we will win games. I think Chris and Shane are totally capable of doing that.”
Ownership transfers regularly lead to coaching and GM changes. The Commanders fired Ron Rivera and reassigned Martin Mayhew last year, while the Broncos canned George Paton hire Nathaniel Hackett months after new ownership took over. David Tepper booted Rivera and GM Marty Hurney barely a year after taking over in Carolina. Though, Indy’s change is obviously different from those power shifts, as Irsay-Gordon will attempt to carry on her father’s work. Jim Irsay backed Richardson in 2023 but signed off on a Jones stopgap effort as protection, as the Florida alum’s issues with injuries, accuracy and maturity have plagued him as a Colt.
The Colts have made one playoff appearance since Luck’s retirement, venturing to the wild-card round during Philip Rivers‘ one-and-done stay. They lost as two-touchdown favorites in Week 18 of the following season, having failed to win 10 games since that Rivers one-off. Indy is 17-17 under Steichen, Ballard’s second official HC hire (after Josh McDaniels backed out in 2018). Ballard being 2-for-8 in postseason trips as GM certainly has raised his seat temperature, and the duo will now need to convince Irsay-Gordon to stay with this mission. Richardson’s status remains paramount to this.
A key change has already come on that end, as Morocco Brown — who brought Richardson onto the Colts’ radar during the pre-draft process — is out as a senior personnel exec, Erickson adds. The Colts had employed Brown since Ballard’s first year on the job (2017). They promoted him from college scouting director to chief personnel exec during the 2022 offseason. He interviewed for the Bears and Steelers’ GM jobs that spring, also being in consideration for an Eagles position that year, and met about the Falcons’ GM gig in 2021.
Brown had made weekly trips to Gainesville during the 2022 season, championing Richardson, who was a one-year college starter. Richardson’s size-speed package intrigued many in 2023, but he completed less than 54% of his passes during his starter season at Florida. Those issues have followed him to the pros. Richardson’s became the seventh QB this century to throw at least 200 passes in a season and complete fewer than 50% of them, finishing at 47.7%. Jones is now taking first-string reps at minicamp.
Irsay-Gordon did not mandate a 2025 playoff appearance in order for Ballard and Steichen to retain their jobs, though she also did not indicate the HC-GM combo is a package deal. Splitting up the pair will be a storyline to monitor.
“I can’t answer that question right now,” Irsay-Gordon said when asked about Ballard and Steichen being tied together. “That relationship is really important, and I think that’s why, in a lot of ways, as I’ve been more involved in the football side over the last 8-10 years, it’s like in a marital argument, right? It takes two to tango, and they have a great relationship.”
Irsay regularly meddled in personnel during Ballard’s tenure, and Kalen Jackson — Irsay-Gordon’s younger sister, who is now a part-owner — insists the new ownership trio will let the GM and Steichen do their jobs without interference. If the Colts do not show progress after a step back last season, it may be difficult to envision this tandem having the chance to keep those jobs for much longer.
Colts To Retain HC Shane Steichen, GM Chris Ballard
Despite recent speculation that Colts general manager Chris Ballard‘s job could be in danger, team owner Jim Irsay has released a statement on X announcing that Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen will be returning to lead the team in 2025.
Ballard, who just finished his eighth season as GM in Indianapolis, has been under heavy fire by the media lately. During his tenure, the Colts have failed to win a single division title. The team started season 4-3 with wins over the Steelers and Dolphins, but a three-game losing streak followed by alternating wins and losses to close the year left the Colts at 8-9 and two spots out of the playoffs. This is the sixth time in Ballard’s eight years that Indianapolis has missed the playoffs and the fourth season in a row.
While Ballard was considered to be on the hot seat, according to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, Steichen was likely to return as head coach. Only in his second season as head coach, Steichen has gone a consistent 17-17 as the skipper of the Colts.
If there is indeed a problem in the leadership in Indianapolis, it may be communication. There have been rumblings of a lack of direction as well as some “public misconceptions due to the relatively high level of secrecy within the building.” This has been especially the case surrounding the handling of the starting quarterback position and the benching of top 2023 draft pick Anthony Richardson. The perception is that the communication issues have been in the building for years, but with Steichen as head coach, the issues have improved.
If there is a coaching change, though, Jones anticipates that it could come on defense. With the team entering Week 18 at 27th in points allowed and 29th in yards allowed, defensive coordinator Gus Bradley may not end up returning to coach the defense in 2025.
As for Ballard and Steichen, Irsay’s comments seem to indicate that no changes will be made. The team will hope to find it’s direction under year nine of Ballard and year three of Steichen.
Colts Plan To Have Anthony Richardson Serve As QB1 In 2025
A report from earlier this month suggested that the Indianapolis future of Colts’ second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson is uncertain and could be tied to the fate of the man who drafted him, general manager Chris Ballard. And, since the club is at risk of missing the playoffs for the sixth time in Ballard’s eight years as the front office boss, the GM’s job may not be safe.
However, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that the Colts plan to move forward with Richardson as their starting signal-caller in 2025. The No. 4 overall pick of the 2023 draft was benched in favor of veteran Joe Flacco in Week 9, but Flacco did not play well in Week 9 or Week 10 (both losses), and Richardson was reinserted into the starting lineup in Week 11.
One of the reasons for Richardson’s demotion was his lack of adequate pre-game preparation, but the club is pleased with how the young passer responded to the benching and the improvements he has made to his preparation and attention to detail. Since his return, the Colts have posted a 3-2 record, and the Florida product has shown flashes during that stretch.
His accuracy is still cause for concern, as he has connected on just 47.7% of his pass attempts this season and has thrown eight TDs against 12 interceptions. He has not shown a marked improvement in that regard since he regained his starting job, as he has tossed four TDs against five interceptions and has completed 51.1% of his passes in the last five games.
Richardson’s health issues are also troubling. He played in just four games in his rookie campaign due to a sprained AC joint, and even before his benching this year, he missed two games due to an oblique injury. He will miss today’s critical matchup with the Giants as a result of foot and back issues.
That said, the current ailments are not considered long-term ones, per Rapoport, and since Richardson will not have to spend the upcoming offseason focusing on rehab as he did last offseason, the hope is that he will be able to further develop his fundamentals. Plus, despite his accuracy woes, the big-armed passer is still capable of making plays through the air and on the ground (he leads the league with 14.4 yards gained per pass completion and has rushed for nearly 500 yards and six scores while maintaining a 5.8 yards-per-carry average).
Rapoport suggests that head coach Shane Steichen and offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter will be retained for 2025, noting that the two coaches and Richardson hope to find sustained success together next season. He does not, though, mention Ballard in his report, so it is theoretically still possible that owner Jim Irsay elects to move on from his top executive. In such a scenario, the new hire may feel differently about Richardson’s upside and could seek to go in a different direction under center.