A lot has been said about Shane Steichen and the Indianapolis Colts in recent years. He's been given more than enough time to install his offense and get the team back to playoff contention, and he's also been given the benefit of the doubt.
Of course, that's what happens when you've been dealt such a terrible hand at the most crucial position in sports, especially for an offensive-minded head coach. However, results matter, which is why his seat might be a bit lukewarm entering this season.
Nevertheless, stats show that Steichen has been much better than some people give him credit for. In fact, NFL analyst Warren Sharp of Sharp Football just revealed that the Colts had the best goal-to-go offense in the entire league last season.
The Indianapolis Colts are a decent quarterback play away from contention
According to Sharp, the rankings were based on the 2025 regular season, using a blend of goal-to-go play success rate and touchdown rate in goal-to-go situations.
The fact that the Colts led the league in that category despite losing their starting quarterback
— again — late last season is a testament to Jonathan Taylor and his efficiency in goal-to-go situations, but also to Steichen's play-scheming and creativity.
Once again, the Colts seem to be some decent quarterback play away from getting over the hump and returning to Super Bowl contention. If that sounds familiar, it is because the Colts have been in that spot since Andrew Luck shockingly retired just before the 2019 season.
That's not on the head coach. If anything, Steichen has fielded competent offenses with the likes of Anthony Richardson, Joe Flacco, Gardner Minshew II, Riley Leonard, and Philip Rivers years after his last career game.
Of course, this is a business first and foremost, so it's easy to understand why the Colts might part ways with Steichen if things go south this season or why some fans are no longer high on him. Even so, he'd probably get another job in days, immediately becoming the most sought-after offensive coordinator up for grabs.
Daniel Jones has a lot to play for this season. Not only will this probably be his last chance to save his career as a starter, but he might also be the only one who can buy Shane Steichen more time in charge of a team that would've definitely fared much worse if it weren't for his sharp offensive mind.
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