The Indianapolis Colts entered the 2025 season with momentum, optimism, and what looked like a revived quarterback in Daniel Jones. An 8-2 start had fans buzzing and the offense flying high.
But as the season wore on, cracks began to show - and when Jones went down with a season-ending injury, the narrative quickly shifted. The prevailing belief inside the organization seems to be that the injury derailed what could’ve been a playoff run.
But look a little closer, and it’s clear the foundation was already starting to crumble.
Let’s start with the obvious: Daniel Jones exceeded expectations. After being cast off by the Giants, he found new life in Indianapolis and looked like a legitimate dual-threat quarterback early in the year.
But was he truly the guy to carry this team into January football? That’s where things get murkier.
Against top-tier competition, Jones struggled. In losses to the Rams and Steelers, he threw five interceptions to just two touchdowns and took seven sacks.
Even in tighter games against the Chiefs and Texans, the offense stalled, putting up just 20 and 16 points, respectively. Those aren’t playoff-caliber numbers - especially not when the defense couldn’t pick up the slack.
It’s not all on Jones, though. Head coach Shane Steichen has to shoulder a significant portion of the blame.
His overall record against teams above .500? A rough 7-22.
That’s not the kind of track record that inspires postseason confidence. Yes, the Colts beat the Broncos - one of the AFC’s best - but that win came with a huge asterisk: a late-game penalty gave Indianapolis a second life and a shot at a game-winning field goal.
Outside of that, the only other win over a winning team came against the Chargers. The rest of their victories came against struggling squads, and when the competition stiffened, the Colts didn’t have answers.
One of the biggest issues was the offense’s overreliance on Jonathan Taylor. Early in the season, Taylor was a force - none more so than his 244-yard, three-touchdown explosion against the Falcons.
But after that, defenses adjusted. The Rams held him to 76 yards.
The Steelers, just 45. Over the final seven games of the season, Taylor never cracked 90 yards again.
And Steichen never found a counterpunch. Once opponents sold out to stop the run and forced Jones to win with his arm, the offensive rhythm disappeared.
The box score might’ve looked decent at times, but the scoreboard didn’t lie.
Then there’s the quarterback situation behind Jones. When he went down, the Colts turned to 44-year-old Philip Rivers - a move that screamed desperation.
To Rivers’ credit, he played well enough to win, even putting up 27 points on the 49ers. But the defense couldn’t hold up its end.
And the bigger question is: why was it necessary to pull Rivers out of retirement in the first place?
Anthony Richardson, the presumed backup, was lost for the season by Week 6. Rookie Riley Leonard was on the roster, but by the time Jones got hurt, Leonard was battling a knee injury of his own.
That left the Colts without a viable option - a situation that falls squarely on GM Chris Ballard. For a decade now, Ballard has earned a reputation for building competitive rosters, but the lack of depth at quarterback was a glaring misstep.
If Leonard wasn’t ready, or if Richardson’s health was in question, the Colts needed to have a better contingency plan. They didn’t.
And that’s the recurring theme here. Ballard and Steichen haven’t been disasters - far from it.
But is “not terrible” the standard this team should be aiming for? Colts fans have seen what a true contender looks like.
They’ve watched a franchise quarterback lead deep playoff runs. They’ve seen elite defenses and smart, adaptable coaching.
This current regime, as it stands, hasn’t delivered that.
Sure, the Colts are in better shape than some - the Jets and Browns come to mind - but if that’s the bar, it’s a low one. The decision to retain both Ballard and Steichen heading into 2026 suggests that the organization believes this past season was simply derailed by bad luck.
But the truth is, the warning signs were there well before Jones’ injury. If Indianapolis wants to take the next step, it’ll take more than just hoping for better health.
It’ll take a hard look at whether their current leadership can truly get them where they want to go.