After the Indianapolis Colts fired GM Chris Ballard, now all eyes turn to head coach Shane Steichen. However, despite the current situation that the Colts' leader and play-caller finds himself in, Steichen doesn't feel any additional pressure. As he put it, the pressure is always there.
“I think there’s pressure in this league every year, regardless of the circumstances," Steichen said on Wednesday, via The Athletic's James Boyd. "And as the head coach, you gotta lead this team. You gotta empower your players. You gotta guide them every single day and put them in position, and that's the way I look at it, is put your head down and go to work. That's all you can do."
#Colts HC Shane Steichen, asked how much pressure he feels after Chris Ballard
was fired: “I think there’s pressure in this league every year, regardless of the circumstances. And as the head coach, you gotta lead this team. You gotta empower your players. You gotta guide them.” pic.twitter.com/LWqDGCRZAE
— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) October 21, 2026
Steichen's message to the team this week has been to stick together. As he put it, the team dug the hole that they are in together, and if they are going to climb their way out, they'll have to do it together.
While Ballard's early-season firing may imply that Steichen's seat is now hotter as well, the reality is that Steichen entered the season already on the hot seat. The assumption has been that this was a now-or-never season for both him and Ballard.
In Steichen's previous three seasons at the helm, the Colts have a 25-26 record with no playoff appearances. While his ability as a game planner and play caller has been on display at times, the Colts have often failed to come through against the NFL's better opponents or in those must-win situations.
The coming weeks will be Steichen's opportunity to showcase that he should be a part of the Colts' long-term plans moving forward.
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Colts' Steichen on pressure he faces after Ballard's firing
