Colts fire GM Chris Ballard after loss to Titans

After falling from 8-2 to out of the playoffs it’s a mild surprise that both will return. The Colts would probably be hardpressed to do better than Steichen as an offensive mind, so that part makes some sense even if he hasn’t made the playoffs yet. But Ballard’s trade for Sauce Gardner has left the franchise without a first-round pick in 2026 or 2027 and has almost forced them to look into retaining Daniel Jones off a torn Achilles. Ballard hasn’t won a playoff game since 2018. Principal owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon will speak with the media tomorrow.

Per Schefter, the same is true of GM Chris Ballard. It’s never entirely fair to blame a single injury for a team’s struggles, but the Colts were the AFC’s No. 1 seed when Daniel Jones suffered a season-ending Achilles injury. Even with Jones’ play dropping off in the second half of the season, he was still doing enough to keep the team in the playoff mix. The Colts would almost certainly be competing for the AFC South title this week had Jones stayed healthy. After watching Steichen turn around Jones’ career en route to an 8-4 record before his injury, there was no way the team could move on from him at the end of the season. The Colts will now be tasked with bringing Jones, an impending free agent, back on a deal that works for both sides. The 2026 season will likely tie together the fates of Steichen, Irsay, and Jones.

The Colts’ 2024 season was filled with mild highs and myriad lows but Steichen and Ballard will evidently get another shot at turning things around. Their futures beyond 2025 are likely tied directly to Anthony Richardson’s performance. Hopefully, the talented dual-threat quarterback can produce consistently positive results next year.

Schefter noted that it also feels like there will be changes within the organization. He named GM Chris Ballard as a potential candidate before mentioning assistant GM Ed Dodds as a potential replacement. Steichen has failed to make much of the oft-injured Anthony Richardson, leading many to believe the team will move on from him after two losing seasons. That doesn’t appear to be the case. It’s possible the Colts go in a different direction at quarterback next year, giving Steichen a shot to show his worth sans Richardson. Either way, he is definitively on the hot seat heading into 2025.

Fowler said Bradley, hired last February as the team’s defensive coordinator, was widely expected to keep the job despite the head coaching turnover. Pro Football Focus graded the Colts as the NFL’s 12th best run defense and the 15th best coverage unit in 2022. Indianapolis’ defense held up through much of the 2022 season despite its offense time and again putting the defense in unenviable positions. The Colts last year allowed the tenth lowest EPA per rush.

Colts owner Jim Irsay’s lengthy, somewhat overwrought interviewing process is finally over. Steichen, coming off a Super Bowl berth as the coordinator of an elite Philadelphia offense, will have a tall task in turning around one of the NFL’s worst offenses. The Colts in 2022 ranked 30th in points per game and 27th in offensive yards per game. Only the Texans had a lower expected points added (EPA) per play than the Colts in 2022. Steichen, 37, will have to find a viable starting quarterback to start. Candidates include Derek Carr, who will reportedly be released by the Raiders. “We’re going to throw to score points and we’re going to run to win,” Steichen said at his introductory presser. Steichen developed Justin Herbert in his rookie season and oversaw Jalen Hurts’ emergence as a top-tier passer in 2022. Hiring Steichen means the Colts avoid becoming the laughing stock of the NFL by retaining interim head coach Jeff Saturday, a close friend of Irsay.

Just hours after a loss in the Super Bowl, Steichen could be the head coach of the Colts by the close of business Monday. Arguably the most thoroughly vetted process of any coaching hire this offseason, Steichen becomes tasked with turning around a 4-12-1 Colts team that finished 30th in points per game (17.0) and 28th in points allowed (25.1). In his two seasons with the Eagles, Steichen saw his team finish 12th and third in points per game, respectively. On the game’s biggest stage, Steichen helped lead the Eagles to 417 yards and 35 points in a near win over the Chiefs. With an aging and underwhelming quarterback room, Steichen has a chance to secure a franchise quarterback with the No. 4 overall pick, and get things going in the right direction.

This, combined with a report from The Athletic’s Zac Keefer that there’s a “sense” that owner Jim Irsay met with Shane Steichen in-person last week, is more than enough to suggest that Steichen could be a front runner to land the Colts head coaching gig. Steichen has been a widely coveted coach this offseason, having also met with the Texans for their head coaching position. Steichen is one of many coaches on the Eagles’ staff being sought for head coaching positions, as defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon is expected to interview with the Cardinals on Monday.

After earlier reports of the Colts having a “lengthy” interview with Steichen earlier in the week, it sounds like the team is nearing a decision to hire the Eagles’ offensive coordinator as their next head coach. Steichen has been with the Eagles for the last two seasons, proving instrumental in the development of quarterback Jalen Hurts and the team’s offensive success. Over the last two seasons, Steichen’s Eagles have finished 12th and third in points per game, while ranking fourth in EPA per play (0.081). The Colts currently hold the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, which Steichen will likely use to bring in a franchise quarterback to help with his rebuild. While a deal is not officially in place, it sounds like the Colts have their guy if all continues to go well.

This would appear to be a signal that Steichen is a front runner for the job, and he would be a logical hire for the Colts as they try to rebound from last season’s Saturdaypalooza. It would also help explain why the Colts have waited so long to hire a head coach. Irsay previously said this week that he expected a hiring to be finalized in “days” not “hours,” so barring some sort of Super Bowl news dump of Saturday coming back, it would make logical sense for Steichen to be the choice.

Rams placed DL Kobie Turner (groin) on injured reserve.

Rams placed DT Poona Ford (biceps) on injured reserve.

Rams coach Sean McVay said Davante Adams (hamstring) will miss 6-10 weeks with a ruptured tendon.

Vikings designed Jordan Mason (thumb/IR) to return.

Commanders activated Jeremy McNichols (quad) off injured reserve.

Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said he is undecided on whether or not Josh Jacobs will play in Week 7 against the Lions.

Commanders activated CB Trey Amos (fibula) from injured reserve.

Commanders placed Jacory Croskey-Merritt (groin) on injured reserve.

Patriots placed Romeo Doubs (shoulder) on injured reserve.

Christian Kirk (calf) won’t play in San Francisco’s Week 6 game against the Commanders.