With the Chris Ballard out as the Colts General Manager, interim GM Ed Dodds being an active seller of expiring contracts at the trade deadline, Shane Steichen likely to finish 2026 with his worst record as the Colts head coach (2-7 as of now), and the Colts hoarding 2027 draft picks like they are about to be tariffed, a new era of Colts football is on the horizon.
Steichen could be the next person out, either midseason or by the end of it. His current record of 27-33 (7-25 against winning teams)
as a Head Coach with 0 post season appearances does little to inspire confidence that his seat isn’t on fire. With 2 years remaining on the contract the late Jim Irsay gave him, it is fair to expect that under new ownership with Carlie Irsay Gordon entering her 2nd full offseason at the helm of the Colts will want to hire her own people at leadership positions in the front office and coaching staff.
Many Colts fans have speculated during this frustrating 2026 season who could be Steichen’s successor should be. Names like the blitzing madman Brian Flores, Defensive Coordinator of the Vikings, Ravens’ young 30 year old Offensive Coordinator Declan Doyle who is a student of both Ben Johnson and Sean Payton, Jaguars’ young 30 year old Offensive Coordinator Grant Udinski, Sean McVay’s latest Offensive Coordinator Nate Scheelhaase with the Rams have all been popular names who could get serious NFL head coaching consideration in the next hiring cycle.
But another candidate should be added to the fold after an interview teased on Thursday. In an interview with FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz, former Colts interim Head Coach Bruce Arians revealed that he “Has the itch again for the first time. I had no desire to go back… after open heart surgery, I have so much more energy”.
A Bruce Arians return to coaching would be huge in the NFL 2027 coaching carousel. While a lot of the top candidates are the young and predominantly offensive minded coaches that recent hiring trends around the league have favored for head coaching consideration, naturally not a single candidate has the resume of Arians. A proven offensive mind who is a definitive QB whisperer will be in high demand.
For the younger fans, a look back at Arians’ coaching history should paint a good picture. Arians has developed young passers into top tier players. Examples include:
- Peyton Manning: Arians was the Colts QB Coach in 1998-2008. Helped Manning be a 2x Second Team All Pro and MVP candidate (1999-2000).
- Ben Roethlisberger: Arians was the Steelers WR coach in 2004-2006 (won a Super Bowl in 2005), and Offensive Coordinator in 2007-2011 (won a Super Bowl 2008). During Arians tenure as OC, Big Ben had his first two Pro Bowl seasons (2007 and 2011).
- Andrew Luck: Arians was the Colts Offensive Coordinator and interim Head Coach in 2012 during Chuck Pagano’s battle against leukemia. Led the Colts to a 9-3 record in the meantime and helped Luck be a Pro Bowler and runner up for Rookie of the Year.
But developing 3 young passers into Pro Bowl caliber (or better) isn’t his only accomplishment on his resume. Arians also showed success with veteran QBs, helping them get back to previous form after a few down years and even set some career highs.
- Carson Palmer: Arians was the Cardinals Head Coach from 2013-2017, where he got Palmer to return to being a Pro Bowler after a nearly a decade drought of the accolade, a 1st Time All Pro (2nd Team), and an MVP runner up . In 2015 Palmer set career highs in Passing Yards (4,631), Passing TDs (35), while leading the league in Yards per Attempt (8.7), Success Rate (52.7%), ESPN’s QBR (76.4).
- Tom Brady: Arians was the Buccaneers Head Coach from 2019-2021. After initially coaching Jameis Winston to his
infamous 5,100 passing yard, 33 Passing TD, 30 INT season, Arians helped Brady record his first 40+ Passing TD seasons since his 50 Passing TD season in 2007 (40 TDs in 2020 and 43 TDs in 2021) and return to being an All Pro QB/MVP candidate for the first time since 2017 in the 2020 season. The pair also won the 2020 Super Bowl over Patrick Mahomes’ Chiefs, Brady’s final ring. Brady led the league in Passing TDs and set a career high with a league leading 5,316 passing yards in 2021 with Arians.
One time is a luck, two times is a habit, three times is the truth…
Then what is FIVE times that Arians has helped improve different NFL Quarterbacks to career highs, revivals, or strong starts? Reality. Arians is a QB whisperer, plain and simple.
As a head coach in particular he has a strong record of 80-48-1 in the regular season (not including the 9-3 record in 2012 as an interim Head Coach) and 6-3 in the playoffs over 8 seasons. The aforementioned 3 rings as a position coach, coordinator, and Head Coach is a resume few have accomplished.
Arians stepped down from coaching in 2022 following health complications, but has stayed active as a consultant for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers since. This isn’t a retired coach out of the loop of current league trends and schematic changes. Arians has over 3 decades of working experience in the NFL, which has helped him build a strong network with the coaching community to help build a staff, including current Colts Wide Receiver coach Reggie Wayne who played for Arians in 2012 for the Colts.
With that resume and connections to a cherished time of Colts fans’ memories, the sell of Arians as the Colts next Head Coach is easy enough to the fandom.
But another key factor that helps the likelihood of Arians being a top candidate the Colts would consider: his connection to the Irsay family. Arians had a good relationship Jim Irsay during both of his stints with the Colts, and in 2014 during Carlie Irsay-Gordon’s first experience at the top of the Colts hierarchy during her father’s suspension for a DUI arrest, Bruce Arians was one of her loudest supporters in the NFL. At the time as the Arizona Cardinals head coach, he spoke glowingly about Irsay-Gordon.
Arians has maintained a strong professional relationship with the Irsays even to this day, and that could help him be the top candidate for the Colts head coaching job. He would be sought after league wide, but the relationship could be key to convincing him to take the job.
Another factor that doesn’t hurt in Arians’ favor: his staunch beliefs in meritocracy, regardless of gender or race. Arians has repeatedly been a pioneer in pushing women forward in the NFL, with a 2015 hire with the Arizona Cardinals of Dr. Jen Walter as a preseason linebacker coach being the first female coaching hire in NFL history, and hiring Lori Locust and Maral Javadifar as assistant defensive line coach and assistant strength and conditioning coach respectively in 2019 when he started working with the Buccaneers. Both Locust and Javadifar became the first women to win Super Bowl rings as assistant coaches in NFL history.
“They’re good fits for what we need. The fact that their gender’s different—who gives a s–t? They’re good coaches.” – Bruce Arians in 2019 upon hiring Locust and Javadifar.
Carlie Irsay-Gordon has received plenty of attention for her sideline patrols and note taking, a regular part of her work schedule since at least 2020 but received far more attention since becoming owner in May 2025. This has caused a lot of “think” pieces from various media members with opinions ranging from praise of attention to detail on the on field product, process, and a willingness to learn as much of the game of football as possible to criticism about perceived ownership overreach, micromanagement, and distraction. Some go so far as to question a woman’s place in the male dominated field of football in its entirety.
Based off of Arians’ past comments about Irsay-Gordon herself and his own hiring philosophy, it is a safe assumption that he is in the former camp and would welcome her continued presence on the sidelines, as well as staunchly defend his owner. Certainly wouldn’t hurt the likelihood of an Indianapolis reunion for Arians, and in fact might increase it.
Adorned with a Kangol hat on his head, Quarterback development on his mind, fire in his newly revamped heart, expect Arians to the Colts to be a common pairing in coaching carousel predictions should Shane Steichen be relieved of duties.
