Colts’ season is over, and it’s now decision time for the Irsay sisters on the futures of Shane Steichen and Chris Ballard
The Colts 2025 season is offically over with another year without a playoff birth, now Carlie Irsay-Gordon and her sisters have some big decisions to make on whether or not to fire Chris Ballard and/or Shane Steichen.
The Indianapolis Colts Week 18 loss cemented a lackluster 8-9 season. A team that was once 8-2 lost its final seven games and eight of its last nine. Fans are begging to see the team make changes after a terrible collapse, and now we will find out if Carlie Irsay-Gordon and her sisters plan on doing just that.
Monday following the final week of the regular season has been coined “Black Monday, which refers to the large number of firings that take place on that day. Both head coach Shane Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard will be under the microscope, but will either actually be fired? I decided it was time to share my thoughts on the subject by sharing what I think the fate for each will be, as well as my level of confidence in that prediction.
Shane Steichen: Not fired
I personally think it would be a massive mistake by the Colts to fire Steichen. I would also be quite surprised if they went that route at this point. Steichen is one of the most respected offensive minds in the NFL, and would likely receive interviews to be a head coach elsewhere if the Colts were to fire him.
I want to place my confidence at a 100%, but with this being the first offseason where the Irsay sisters are making this call over Jim, it’s hard to say it’s a lock. However, I will say that Carlie-Irsay Gordon was part of the hiring process that led to the Colts selecting Steichen, and from what I’ve gathered, he was her top candidate, as well as others involved in that search.
Confidence level: 90%
Chris Ballard: Not fired
If it were my decision, I would fire Chris Ballard, not for how this season ended, but for how the team has performed overall during his tenure. The team has now missed the playoffs for a fifth straight year, and they’ve never won the AFC South with Ballard at the helm.
He’s had the longest leash I’ve ever seen for a GM without having success on the field. Injuries played a significant factor in the Colts’ collapse this year, and if I had to guess, he ends up keeping his job as a result. I think it’s a near coin toss, though. His contract is up in 2026, so I could see ownership viewing that as a cleaner break. I do wonder if there’s any part of Ballard that would welcome a change of scenery at this point, though.
Confidence level: 60%
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