Barring a miraculous turn of events, the Indianapolis Colts will miss the postseason for the fourth year in a row. An embarrassing, mistake-laden loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 15 sealed the Colts’ fate. Indianapolis was once a franchise synonymous with success, but has become better known for its failures in recent years. Now, after being virtually eliminated from the playoffs with three weeks left to go, it’s high time for the Colts to have some difficult conversations.
Is it finally time to move on from Chris Ballard?
Chris Ballard is the 10th longest-tenured general manager in the NFL, but he hasn’t accomplished a whole lot. Since being hired in 2017, Ballard has led the Colts to just two playoff appearances (and none since 2020), never advancing past the divisional round. Of the nine current GMs that have been around longer than him, six have won a Super Bowl, another two have at least made Super Bowl appearances, and the final one has made the playoffs two years in a row.
During his eight years in Indianapolis, Ballard has overseen four different head coaches, six starting quarterbacks, and plenty of draft and free-agent classes. He’s had more than enough time to turn the Colts around, but his results continue to disappoint. Team owner Jim Irsay needs to take a hard look at Ballard’s poor track record, as accountability starts at the top.
Does Shane Steichen deserve another year in Indy?
In two years as the Indianapolis head coach, Shane Steichen is 15-16 with no AFC South titles or postseason trips. While he’s had to navigate many challenges beyond his control (e.g., a rookie QB, Ballard’s roster mismanagement, and key injuries), Steichen’s own questionable coaching decisions have also not helped his case. Steichen has struggled as the offensive playcaller, and has been complacent in allowing Gus Bradley to continue to lead a lackluster defense.
Despite Steichen’s missteps, a coaching change after just two years may be an overreaction. Three coaches have been fired already this year, but each one — Matt Eberflus (Bears), Dennis Allen (Saints), and Robert Saleh (Jets) — survived until their third year in charge. Irsay gave former head coach Frank Reich over four years before moving on from him. Still, the Colts have to start, at least, exploring alternatives to Steichen after seeing minimal progress this season.
Can Anthony Richardson be a franchise QB?
In the modern era, teams need a competent QB to have any chance of competing. When Ballard and Indianapolis drafted Richardson with their 2023 first-round pick, they were betting that the raw prospect could develop into an elite NFL QB. Richardson is now 14 games into his pro career, and the jury is still out on whether or not he can be the leader this franchise needs.
Although there have certainly been flashes of brilliance, Richardson’s persistent accuracy issues have hurt the team in 2024 — his 47% completion rate is, by far, the worst in the league. Richardson is still young and could definitely improve with time, but can the Colts afford to be that patient? If the team doesn’t see evidence that Richardson is getting better over these last three weeks, Indianapolis may consider bringing in some QB competition in the offseason, or even trading Richardson away.