While everyone in Nashville was cheering after the Tennessee Titans got their first win of the season, it seems that losing to an 0-5 team was the final nail in the coffin for Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard. The Colts announced on Monday that they would part ways with their GM and begin their pursuit of his replacement.
We have relieved Chris Ballard of his duties as General Manager. pic.twitter.com/BleD6bfTsG
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) October 19, 2026
Ballard was hired as general manager in 2017, and during his tenure, the Colts had a different quarterback almost every year. Until this year, when they strung together back-to-back seasons with Daniel Jones. The quarterback carousel is only part of the problem, but Jones took six sacks against the Titans and threw two
interceptions in the loss. Maybe that's not on Ballard, which is why we can say that Jones is now responsible for the firing of a second general manager in his eight seasons in the NFL. (David Gettleman was fired in 2022, Jones' fourth NFL season.)
Rumors are swirling that the Colts have reached out to Peyton Manning to potentially bring him back to the organization he helped revitalize during his 13 years as their quarterback. No word on where that currently stands, and they've probably reached out to others as well.
For the Titans, not only can they gloat that they defeated a division rival, but they can take credit for the current upheaval that is happening within the Colts' organization. Who knows, maybe this was Robert Saleh's plan the whole time. Con everyone into thinking the Titans are no better than they have been in years, then rip the heart out of a division rival when a zero-win team defeats them in Week 6.
All kidding aside, the Titans' offense actually looked like a cohesive unit on Sunday, and the defense came out and did what it's been doing all season. They just didn't get gassed by the fourth quarter because the offense managed to sustain some drives and give the defense the rest it needed. Losing to a winless team at this point of the season had to be hard on Colts fans, and it was definitely the nail in the coffin for Ballard, but it may have finally put the Titans on the right path in 2026.
This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Titans' victory puts nail in the coffin of Colts GM Chris Ballard
