The Indianapolis Colts are staring down a pivotal 2026 season, one that could define the future of both their front office and coaching staff. It’s been a long, frustrating stretch for a franchise that hasn’t seen the playoffs since 2020-the COVID-impacted season-and hasn’t claimed an AFC South title since way back in 2014. That’s a decade-plus without a division crown, and in the NFL, that kind of drought doesn’t go unnoticed.
At the center of this prolonged dry spell is general manager Chris Ballard. Since taking over football operations in 2017, Ballard has built some talented rosters and drafted a few standout players, but the results on the field haven’t matched the potential on paper.
He’s entering his tenth offseason with the team, and the record is hard to ignore: just one playoff win and zero division titles during his tenure. Meanwhile, every other AFC South rival has managed to win the division at least twice since Ballard came aboard.
That’s a tough pill to swallow for Colts fans who have watched their team spin its wheels while the rest of the division has taken turns at the top.
Head coach Shane Steichen, now heading into his fourth year, hasn’t had it easy either. The quarterback carousel has been relentless-injuries, inconsistency, and a lack of long-term stability at the most important position in football have made his job exponentially harder.
Still, the results are what they are: no playoff appearances in three seasons. That’s not the kind of return that inspires long-term confidence, even if the circumstances haven’t always been ideal.
There’s a growing sense that 2026 is a "make-or-break" year for both Ballard and Steichen. Of course, that phrase has been tossed around before in Indianapolis, only for the status quo to remain unchanged.
But when you look around the league, the contrast is stark. Several franchises with far more recent success have already made bold moves this offseason.
Take the Buffalo Bills, for instance. Despite making the playoffs in eight of the last nine seasons and winning five division titles under Sean McDermott, the team decided it was time for a change. The Bills are laser-focused on maximizing the prime years of former MVP Josh Allen, and the front office clearly felt they weren’t getting enough return on that investment.
In Pittsburgh, Mike Tomlin stepped away after nearly two decades at the helm. During his tenure, he led the Steelers to two Super Bowl appearances (winning one in 2008), 13 playoff berths, and eight division titles. Even with that résumé, the organization and coach decided it was time for a reset.
And in Baltimore, the Ravens and John Harbaugh-the same coach who brought them a Super Bowl win in 2012-parted ways after a disappointing 8-9 season that kept them out of the playoffs. That move came despite having a two-time MVP in Lamar Jackson still in his prime.
So when teams with that kind of pedigree are making sweeping changes in pursuit of a championship, it begs the question: what’s the Colts’ threshold for change?
It’s fair to say personal relationships play a role in how decisions are made. Ballard and Steichen appear to have the trust of ownership, particularly the Irsay family, which has transitioned more control to the next generation of daughters. That continuity can be a strength-but it can also lead to stagnation if the results don’t follow.
The Colts are well within their rights to run the organization how they see fit. But from the outside looking in, it raises eyebrows when a franchise with such a passionate fan base and a proud football history seems content to tread water while others are aggressively chasing greatness.
Now, all eyes turn to 2026. The Colts have made their bet-doubling down on Ballard’s long-term vision and Steichen’s leadership.
Whether that patience pays off or leads to another offseason of soul-searching will depend on what happens between the lines this fall. One thing’s for sure: the clock is ticking in Indianapolis.