The Colts head into 2026 with one clear mission: avoid another season that starts fast, looks dangerous, and then falls apart late.
That’s the backdrop after Indianapolis watched a promising 2025 run spiral. With Daniel Jones healthy at quarterback, the offense was good enough to look historic at times, and the Colts reached 8-2 at their midseason BYE.
Then the injury trouble hit. Jones dealt with lower leg issues, finished with a torn Achilles, and the season unraveled from there.
Indianapolis dropped seven straight to finish 8-7 and missed the playoffs again.
It was the latest frustrating chapter in a stretch that has now gone on far too long for the franchise. The Colts haven’t been to the postseason since 2020, and they haven’t won the AFC South since 2014.
There is reason for optimism entering this next push. Jones has been re-signed and is reportedly healthy after the Achilles tear, while the defense gets a full season of Sauce Gardner, the former All-Pro cornerback acquired at the trade deadline last year. If those two pieces hold, Indianapolis has a path back to the kind of form it showed before last season turned sideways.
The preseason opens on 08/13, when the Colts visit the New England Patriots on Thursday at 7:30 PM EDT. They’ll be back home for preseason games against the Atlanta Falcons on 08/22 and the Detroit Lions on 08/29, with both kickoff times set for 1:00 PM EDT.
The regular season starts at home on 9/13 against the Baltimore Ravens at 1 PM EDT. From there, the schedule immediately gets spicier: a Sunday night trip to the Kansas City Chiefs on 9/20 at 8:20 EDT, then a home game against the Houston Texans on 9/27.
The Colts also get an early international showcase, facing the Washington Commanders in London on 10/4 at 9:30 AM EDT. After that comes a road game at the Pittsburgh Steelers on 10/11, then later trips to the Minnesota Vikings on 10/25 and the Jacksonville Jaguars on 11/01.
One of the more notable late-season tests comes on 11/19, when Indianapolis visits the Texans for a Thursday night matchup at 8:15 PM EDT. The Colts return home to face the New York Giants on 11/29, then hit their BYE in Week 13.
After the break, they go to the Philadelphia Eagles on 12/13. The Week 16 opponent is still listed as TBD, but that game is at home against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The schedule leaves plenty of room for a rebound - and just as much room for another tense finish if the Colts can’t keep their core on the field.
In Other News...
Colts Backup QB Battle Just Put Anthony Richardson On Notice
Training camp has already turned the Colts backup quarterback job into a real subplot behind Daniel Jones, with Riley Leonard and Anthony Richardson both getting long looks as the team sorts out its depth chart. Indianapolis still intends to keep Richardson in the fold, but the early tone of camp suggests the competition is doing exactly what it was meant to do: push both passers and force the staff to pay close attention to every rep.
Leonard has made the stronger early impression in practice, showing more consistency in key moments and flashing the kind of live arm that can change how a roster conversation sounds in a hurry. If that gap keeps growing, the Colts may have a tougher call than they expected, especially with Richardson trying to hold off a challenger who has already started to make his case. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Camp Battles Are Starting To Reveal Some Tough Early Answers
Midway through training camp, the Colts are already getting a better sense of where some of the roster fights are headed, and not every competition is creating the same kind of suspense. The backup quarterback spot has drawn plenty of attention because of the names involved, while the kicking job has also become one of the more closely watched battles as the team sorts through its options.
There is still time for things to change, but the early pecking order is starting to take shape in a few key areas. At linebacker and defensive end, the Colts are still looking at open-ended competitions with no clear starters established yet, which should keep those spots worth tracking as camp moves on and the workload ramps up. [Read more 🡒]
Daniel Jones Is Giving Colts Fans A Reason To Believe Again
Daniel Jones is back on the field for the Colts early in training camp, and the early signs are encouraging. Coming off the torn Achilles he suffered in December, the quarterback said he feels good and has been able to work through the playbook without limitations while taking part in practices.
Jones has already been lining up under center, a small but meaningful checkpoint for a player working his way back from a major lower-leg injury. The emphasis now is on how well he can keep pushing off that foot and stay on time, the kind of detail that will tell the Colts plenty about where he really stands as camp unfolds. [Read more 🡒]