The Indianapolis Colts are the epitome of mediocre since Shane Steichen became the head coach. Maybe this is the best he could do, or anyone else could do either. Steichen can only work with the pieces that general manager Chris Ballard gives him, after all.
What Indy fans have learned is that Steichen has a good grasp on what makes an offense work well, as long as the team has a decent quarterback, but how much control he has over the defense is questionable. He clearly has some input as he is the head coach, but this past season, that side of the ball belonged to Lou Anarumo.
Ballard has full roster control, and Steichen has to mold the pieces into a successful group. So far, his record is 25-26, though he is 7-22 against teams with winning records at the time the Colts are playing them. He is 18-4 against teams with losing records.
Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen gets the head coach ranking he deserves
Again, his team is the epitome of mediocre, and that is why ESPN NFL analyst Bill Barnwell has Shane Steichen ranked almost entirely in the middle of the pack among head coaches hired since 2021. There are 37 such coaches (which seems like a lot), and Steichen is ranked at No. 16, just a couple of spots better than true middle.
Barnwell writes, "Steichen has built fun, logical offenses for Jones and Richardson over the past few seasons, and the run game has revitalized Jonathan Taylor's career after the star back battled ankle issues. Still, the former Eagles assistant has gone either 8-9 or 9-8 in each of his first three campaigns as a head coach, and that sort of consistent averageness makes him a perfect fit in the middle of this list. He has essentially been a league-average hire."
2025 started far more promising, of course. The team rushed out to a 7-1 start, the best record in the league at the time, and an offense that was working at full throttle. The team lost its final eight games, though, to finish 8-9. The precipitous fall was stunning and brutal.
Injuries took a toll, but weren't the only problem. Thinking they were covering up a lot of problems that need to be fixed. Before Daniel Jones tore his Achilles tendon in Week 14, the team was out of the playoff picture. Turnovers became far too frequent, while the defensive efficiency was always a struggle.
2026 needs to be better for both Chris Ballard and Shane Steichen. The issue is that the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans should still be good, and the Tennessee Titans should be improved. The Indianapolis Colts could make the playoffs next season, but things need to get better, and a lot better. If that happens, Steichen will rise up any new head coach rankings.