The 2024 season has come to an end for the Indianapolis Colts, and the postmortem is already underway. Owner Jim Irsay decided to keep general manager Chris Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen, while defensive coordinator Gus Bradley was let go, and fans and analysts alike were dismayed that the Colts' plan for 2025 is largely to do the same thing they've been doing, and hope for better results.
A prime example of this mindset comes from Steichen himself, who -- despite a turmoil-filled season that has led to people calling for the Colts to clean house -- insisted that Indianapolis is close to being a playoff-worthy team.
In a press conference, Steichen made the mind-boggling claim. "I think we're really close. I do," he said. "I mean, when you have a season like this, you know, it's frustrating. It is, but we got a lot of good guys in the locker room. I've said that before and I know these guys will, you know, go out and fight like crazy to finish it the right way."
Shane Steichen, asked how close the #Colts are to success:
— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) January 4, 2025
“I think we’re really close, I do. When you have a season like this it’s frustrating, it is. But we got a lot of good guys … And I know these guys will go out and fight like crazy to finish it the right way.” pic.twitter.com/ysMisuhab7
Veteran quarterback Joe Flacco held nothing back when he was asked for his thoughts on the state of the Colts, flat-out contradicting Steichen.
"When you're 8-9, there's probably a ton of spots where you could look and convince yourself that we were almost there," he said. "I don't necessarily think that's the right mindset. I don't think we should be trying to trick ourselves into thinking that we're almost there. I think we should acknowledge, 'Yeah, we are almost there, but we're not there.' I think when you acknowledge that, you free yourself up to get better and take that next step."
This statement boils down to what many believe is a fundamental problem with Steichen. It's undeniable that there is a lot of talent on the Colts roster, but that's not the problem. The issue is that, according to both anonymous insiders and team captains who were willing to speak openly, there is a major culture problem with the team. There is said to be a lack of discipline, of focus, of drive, of vision... and yet Steichen has been unwilling to admit any of this. By pretending that everything is fine, and that the Colts are getting close to becoming a real contender, Steichen is making it clear that nothing is likely to change in 2025.
Flacco, who is now a free agent, clearly understands that.