Chris Ballard is out in Indianapolis. Team co-owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon wasted no time after Sunday’s absolute debacle, announcing Monday that she’d fired the general manager who’d been running the Colts since 2017. This isn’t just a tough loss, it’s the culmination of five straight years without a playoff berth and, let’s be real, whiffing big time on finding that franchise quarterback. You could feel this coming.
The Fans Spoke, And The Boss Listened
Sunday’s game against previously winless Tennessee was the last straw, plain and simple. Indy lost 26-20, blowing a 13-0 halftime lead and only managing one measly second-half score. The crowd at home was absolutely furious, booing resoundingly during the entire second half, chanting “Fire Ballard,” and bailing out early. Can you blame them? Head coach Shane Steichen was even feistier than usual afterward, saying, “We’ve got to give them something to cheer about,” and “I don’t blame them for booing one freaking bit.” Irsay-Gordon didn’t mince words either, stating the decision couldn’t wait until the offseason. “Our standard is to compete for championships, and I believe a change in leadership is necessary to meet that standard,” she said. “Making this change during the season was a deliberate decision. Waiting would only delay the important work that needs to begin now.” That’s a clear signal: the urgency is through the roof.
Remember back in January when Irsay-Gordon pushed back against fan calls to fire both Ballard and Steichen? She said then she agreed with the desire for a championship team and brought both guys back with the understanding that making the playoffs was the highest urgency. This latest collapse, spearheaded by a 58-yard punt return setting up a tying score and then a blocked punt returned for a touchdown less than three minutes later, effectively sealed Ballard’s fate. His revamped defense gave up a mind-boggling 1,029 yards in the first two games, the second-highest two-game total in league history. Yeah, they snagged a couple of wins against a then-winless Houston and a Washington squad playing with a backup quarterback, but a rough defensive showing in Pittsburgh followed by Sunday’s implosion was too much to ignore. Questions are already swirling about turnover-prone quarterback Daniel Jones keeping his job, but Steichen isn’t making any personnel promises yet, just that they need to find a solution to the giveaways.
A Decade of Near Misses and Quarterback Carousel
Ballard’s decade-long run was a wild ride, marked by some truly bizarre twists. We’re talking Andrew Luck’s sudden retirement in August 2019, seven consecutive years with a different opening day starting quarterback, the mid-season firing of Frank Reich, and the out-of-left-field hiring of Jeff Saturday. Oh, and don’t forget last year’s move to bring Philip Rivers out of retirement while the dude was on the Hall of Fame ballot. It was always something, right? The Colts constantly hovered around that .500 mark, always *almost* there, but never quite getting over the hump. They only managed one playoff win since reaching the 2014 AFC championship, a wild-card victory against Houston in 2018. They crashed out the very next week at Kansas City. They did make it back to the playoffs in 2020 with Rivers at the helm. But for a franchise that demands championships, one playoff win in that span just isn’t cutting it.
So, what’s next? Carlie Irsay-Gordon says a “thorough search” for Ballard’s successor kicks off immediately. They’re not messing around. This move signals a massive shift in Indy, and fans will be glued to every single development. It’s time to see who’s stepping up to finally get this team back to championship contention.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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