Shane Steichen’s future in Indianapolis suddenly looks shaky, and the Colts may already be staring at the next move if Carlie Irsay-Gordon follows through on her warning.
The team’s 2-4 start through Week 6 has only piled onto the pressure. Indianapolis opened 0-2, briefly steadied itself with wins over the Texans and Commanders, then unraveled again in one of the ugliest losses of the season: a 26-20 home defeat to the previously 0-5 Titans after blowing a 13-0 lead. It was a mistake-filled collapse that did Steichen no favors, especially with the team’s offense sputtering and a possible benching of Daniel Jones hanging in the air after the game.
Steichen said after Sunday’s loss that he was more focused on doing his job than worrying about losing it, but that answer landed against a bleak backdrop. He’s 27-30 in more than three seasons without a playoff berth after taking over for Frank Reich and interim coach Jeff Saturday in 2023. With the Colts coming off an 8-9 finish in 2025 after a seven-game losing streak and a slide from 8-2 to out of the AFC playoff field, the patience meter is clearly running low.
If Indianapolis does decide to move on, there are already a few names that stand out.
Chris Shula, the Rams defensive coordinator, tops the list. At 40, he fits the mold of the latest Sean McVay assistant ready for his own shot, and he was already in the mix when 10 new coaches landed jobs in 2025.
His last name carries obvious football weight, but his reputation has been built on defensive play-calling. And for Colts history buffs, there’s a neat wrinkle: the late Don Shula started his record-setting coaching career with the Colts when they were in Baltimore.
Another strong candidate is Anthony Campanile, the Jaguars defensive coordinator. At 44, he brings more experience and offers the kind of defensive-minded change the Colts might prefer if they decide Steichen’s offensive background isn’t the answer. He and offensive coordinator Grant Udinski have both emerged as rising names in Jacksonville under Liam Coen, and Campanile carries what could be a familiar Chuck Pagano feel for Indianapolis fans.
Brian Flores should be in the conversation too. The Vikings defensive coordinator, 45, has put together a dominant unit under Kevin O’Connell, and he already has head coaching experience.
For a franchise looking to reset, that matters. So does the simple logic of pivoting from an offensive head coach to a defensive one.
Ejiro Evero, also 45, belongs in the mix as well. The Panthers defensive coordinator has squeezed strong production out of a group strengthened this season by Jaelan Phillips and Devin Lloyd. He has earned a reputation for getting the most out of an energetic defense, and he also has McVay connections from his time with the Rams.
On the offensive side, Declan Doyle is a younger name to watch. The Ravens offensive coordinator is only 30, but he’s gaining attention for the work he’s doing with Derrick Henry, not counting iWeek 6, and for how that approach could translate to an offense built around Jonathan Taylor. He also has a fast-rising résumé after working under Ben Johnson and the Bears last season.
Nate Scheelhaase, the Rams offensive coordinator, is another McVay branch worth tracking. At 35, and with a background as the former Illinois quarterback, he fits the profile of a coach who could make a jump after learning in that ecosystem. For the Colts, the appeal would be in bringing in someone who could help reboot the offense in the original Big Ten country.
Then there are the wild cards. Andrew Luck, now Stanford football GM at 37, would be the boldest swing of all.
He’s trying to steady his alma mater after its last winning stretch under David Shaw, and his name carries obvious weight in Indianapolis. If he weren’t a sideline option, the possibility of him replacing Chris Ballard at general manager would also have to be considered.
And finally, there’s Jim Harbaugh. He’s still under contract with the Chargers, but the source of the opening here is clear enough: if things keep going the way they are in Los Angeles, a parting could happen after a disastrous, still-winless season.
If that door opened, the Colts would have a chance to bring back their former “Captain Comeback” quarterback turned “Saved By The Bell” guest star. Harbaugh returning to Indianapolis, with Luck possibly in the building too, would be a bold jolt.
It also might be exactly the kind of jolt the Colts need.
In Other News...
Colts Suddenly Have A Problem That Looks Bigger Than One Collapse
The Colts loss to the Titans was ugly enough on the surface, but the way it unraveled after halftime made it feel bigger than a single bad Sunday. Indianapolis had problems all over the field, with the offense coughing up the ball and stalling in scoring range, while special teams helped turn a competitive game into a lopsided one. Even with the defense holding up better than the final score might suggest, the Colts could not string together the kind of stops and clean possessions needed to survive a collapse like that.
Daniel Jones and Jonathan Taylor were both part of the turnover mess, and the offense never recovered once the mistakes started piling up. At 2-4, the Colts are staring at a stretch that will demand a much cleaner operation on offense and far fewer hidden-yardage disasters on special teams, because the next few matchups leave little room for a repeat. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Now Have A Daniel Jones Problem They Can't Ignore
Daniel Jones first season with the Colts has already become a topic the team cant avoid, even with a new week and a new opponent on deck. Signed to a two-year deal after suffering a torn Achilles in December 2025, Jones has not delivered the kind of stability Indianapolis was hoping for, and the rough showing in the loss to the Tennessee Titans only sharpened the scrutiny around the quarterback move the franchise made this offseason.
Shane Steichen has said Jones will start again against the Minnesota Vikings, a decision that keeps the focus squarely on how much patience the Colts can afford to show. With Chris Ballard out as general manager and Steichen still holding the head-coaching job, the organizations next steps at quarterback matter even more now, because every start is beginning to look like part evaluation, part damage control, and part referendum on a decision Indianapolis can no longer pretend is routine. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Now Face Another Brutal Test As Things Start Sliding
A loss at home to Tennessee put the Colts in a tougher spot than they wanted, especially with the schedule now steering them straight into a matchup with one of the leagues most complete teams. The next stop is Minnesota, where the undefeated Vikings bring a strong record and a defense that has made life difficult for plenty of opponents.
For Indianapolis, the challenge is about more than simply bouncing back from one bad Sunday. The Colts are trying to steady things after a game that slipped away on avoidable mistakes, and now they have to do it against a team oddsmakers trust more heavily, with Minnesota laying 5.5 points and the Colts sitting at +210 on the money line. [Read more 🡒]