The path the Colts need to take to get things back on the right track in 2026 has now been revealed, but it won’t be easy
The Colts have to end their playoff drought next season, and they now know every team standing in their way of doing just that.
The Indianapolis Colts suffered a terrible late-season collapse, losing their final seven games. They ended the year below .500 as a result, and now they are entering a must-win 2026 season after choosing to bring back head coach Shane Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard.
To ensure they keep their jobs past next season, they will have to lead the Colts to the playoffs for the first time in five years. The exact path to doing that will be revealed when the NFL announces next season’s schedule. The Colts at least know who they will play next year, as their 2026 opponents are now finalized.
Colts 2026 opponents
As always, the Colts will play each of their AFC South rivals twice, taking up six of their 17 regular-season games. The Colts will also play each member of the AFC North. They will hit the road to face the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cleveland Browns and are set to host the Baltimore Ravens and the Cincinnati Bengals in Indianapolis.
Because they finished third in the AFC South, they will also square off against every other team that finished third in a division in the AFC, along with the NFC North. As a result, they will host the Miami Dolphins and travel to play the Patrick Mahomes-led Kansas City Chiefs and the Minnesota Vikings on the road.
To finish off their schedule, they will take on the entire NFC East. They will host Dak Prescott’s Dallas Cowboys, along with the New York Giants. They will be on the road to take on the Philadelphia Eagles and the Washington Commanders.
In total, the Colts, like everyone else, will play 14 different teams. Only four of them are in the 2025 playoff field, but that doesn’t mean their path to the postseason should be considered easy.
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