According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano, the initial speculation is that Indianapolis Colts longtime general manager Chris Ballard’s job is safe, but under the differing leadership of new team owner and CEO Carlie Irsay-Gordon, who doesn’t have a track history for her decision-making atop, no one exactly knows for sure right now:
Graziano:
I was in Indianapolis on Sunday, and no one there seems to know for sure where things are headed following the Colts’ late-season collapse. GM Chris Ballard has a good relationship with owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon, from what I am told, and while the Anthony Richardson Sr. pick seems to have been a miss, the Daniel Jones signing was a hit until he got hurt. I think Ballard sticks around, but people are asking about him a lot these days.
Fowler:
Ballard remains a moving target because he drafts well and builds good rosters — but no division titles in nine years is a tough sell. I’ve talked to a few people in the league who wonder whether Ballard would be the first to go over coach Shane Steichen if Irsay-Gordon makes changes at all. But the Colts had a good thing going for 10 games before the injuries, so that factors in, too. Most people I’ve talked to are leaning toward Ballard’s job being safe.
The interesting part of the analysis though is that the pair of ESPN Insiders seem to be weighing Ballard’s future based a lot on this past year alone—which no doubt, the Colts initial success (once sitting at 8-2) was destroyed by critical injuries, including a season-ending Achilles tear to starting quarterback Daniel Jones.
However, it’s been nine years for Colts general manager and what was already expected to be a ‘make-or-break’ season of sorts for Indy’s top leadership, which once again fell short of the sticks for making the playoffs again.
The Colts have not made the playoffs since 2020 (i.e., the COVID-19 season), which was the last time that unretired 44-year-old veteran quarterback Philip Rivers had started for them previously.
Under Ballard’s entire lengthy tenure, Indianapolis has just one playoff win and 0 division titles. Since his arrival in 2017, every other member of the AFC South has won the division at least twice.
So while this year should be part of the consideration, there’s also 8 other years that form part of that evaluation.
It’ll be interesting to see if Irsay-Gordon gives Ballard the benefit of the doubt again, who seems well regarded personally within the Colts organization.
However, there’s also a large contingency of Colts fans who believe that he’s been given more than enough opportunities to right the ship and that the bottom line results simply haven’t been good enough.
As for Colts head coach Shane Steichen, whose job arguably appears to at least be slightly safer than Ballard’s, it would make sense for him to return if the plan is for Indianapolis to also re-sign Daniel Jones (*a pending 2026 free agent)—particularly given the success that the two initially shared to begin the season together.
Even rehabbing from a torn Achilles, Jones appears to be the Colts’ best option at starting quarterback in 2026, at least given this year’s upcoming offseason market at the position (and Indy’s lack of a ‘26 first round pick).
Those two could very well be a ‘package deal’ for Indianapolis going forward, but time will tell this offseason.
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