Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen doesn't seem like a stern task-master. He comes across as an affable guy who has a great mind for how to create an efficient offense. Behind the closed doors of the Indy facility, he might be different.
Corberback Sauce Gardner certainly implied as much recently when speaking to reporters during media week ahead of the Seattle Seahawks playing the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 60. On the former All-Pro corner's first day with his new team after being acquired in a midseason trade from the New York Jets, Gardner was two minutes late to a training session. He would regret it.
To be fair, what Gardner conveyed this week is as much of an indictment of the Jets organization than how the Colts do business. The cornerback didn't seem to expect to be held to account for being on time, and he would have learned that in New York. Indianapolis was different.
Sauce Gardner learned quickly how the culture of the Indianapolis Colts works
"The first day (I didn't expect to tell this story), but I had messed my calf up, and I had to be in the training room at 7 am," Gardner said. "I get in the training room like 7:02. I walk in, and coach Shane is like, 'What's up, Sauce?' I'm like, 'What's good, coach?' Boom. Fast-forward to the team meeting after that training room session. Coach says, 'Sauce, you were late to the training room today. Can you tell us why you were late?' in front of the whole team...That was his way of showing me how things are, and I had to get with the program...They have a very unique process there."
It's the "very unique process" part that should enrage Jets fans. New York appears to have had a lack of discipline during Sauce Gardner's time with the team. That could certainly lead to a team running far too loosely, which would easily translate to games. Adding former New York quarterback Aaron Rodgers to the mix, and a team can be thrown into chaos.
Gardner's observation could also be positive for Shane Steichen. Colts owners chose to keep general manager Chris Ballard and Steichen this offseason in hopes that the 2026 season will look a lot like the first half of 2025. The team was 7-1 and trending toward being the top seed in the AFC.
Indy fans know how the season turned out, and it wasn't good. Injuries, turnover problems, and a huge uptick in the quality of competition forced Indianapolis to lose its final seven games and finish 8-9. It was ugly.
Instead of Shane Steichen being part of the problem, however, maybe he did his best to hold the team together, even while it was literally falling apart with players getting hurt. Hopefully, 2026 treats the Indianapolis Colts' head coach better. He deserves that.