Not to beat an increasingly dead horse here, but the Indianapolis Colts have not made the playoffs since 2020 (the COVID-19 year), and have not won the division since 2014.
The organizational leader largely
responsible for overseeing the football operations of the organization, general manager Chris Ballard, and his inability to achieve meaningful consistent success has certainly played a critical part in that shared frustration collectively from ownership, to football ops personnel, to coaching staff, to players, and to fans.
Entering Year 10 this offseason, since arriving in 2017, the longtime, increasingly embattled Colts GM has one playoff win as part of that lengthy drought that began a little before him, 0 division titles to his name right now.
Adding further insult to injury, is that each of the Colts’ AFC South rivals has won the division at least twice since Ballard’s arrival way back when in 2017.
The Colts’ other top leader, rising 4th-year head coach Shane Steichen, has failed to make the playoffs his first 3 years head coaching Indianapolis—although has continued to face a turnstile at the starting quarterback spot.
Both are seemingly facing a ‘make-or-break’ 2026 campaign (although to be fair, we’ve heard that narrative before!), but a handful of perennial NFL playoff teams, who have seen far more recent and sustained success, have already made drastic and arguably surprising changes atop to begin this offseason.
The Buffalo Bills, who made the playoffs in 8 of the 9 seasons and had 5 division titles under head coach Sean McDermott, just surprisingly fired the 51-year-old head coach, worried about capitalizing on superstar quarterback and ex-NFL MVP Josh Allen’s remaining prime—and having failed to hoist a Lombardi Trophy to-date with him behind center.
Although he stepped down, the Pittsburgh Steelers just saw longtime head coaching fixture Mike Tomlin, who arrived in 2007, take a break from head coaching after making 2 Super Bowls (winning one in 2008) to go along with 13 playoff appearances and 8 division titles.
Lastly, the Baltimore Ravens and fellow Super Bowl winning, former AFC North head coach John Harbaugh surprisingly just went their separate ways, after the Ravens disappointedly went 8-9 this season and failed to make the playoffs despite having 2x NFL MVP Lamar Jackson still in his prime. Prior to that, since being hired in 2008, Harbaugh had made the playoffs 12 times with 6 division titles and a Super Bowl win in 2012.
Is it downright complacency or comfortability these days for the Colts?
Interpersonal relationships certainly matter in sports between ownership and their organization’s top football lieutenants, but are the Colts valuing that at the expense of actually winning football games right now?
The Colts ownership, and specifically, the transitioned three Irsay daughters can operate the organization however they see fit—as it’s their legal right, no matter the increased level of fan frustration.
Here, it’s arguably being operated more as a local ‘mom-and-pop’ shop than a multi-billion dollar organization that’s trying to maximize winning games on the field, but again, that’s their right—and that’s just an opinion.
Time will tell whether the Colts’ battle-tested belief, clear conviction, and longstanding patience with both Ballard and Steichen will pay off in 2026—or whether the results will be much similar to 2025, with arguably long overdue changes finally being made next early offseason.
Both Colts leaders appear to be on the hottest of hot seats right now entering 2026, and it’s now or never in Indy.
