The Colts are sticking with Chris Ballard as general manager - again. And at this point, it’s fair to ask: how long can a team keep running back the same formula and expect different results?
Ballard, entering his 10th season at the helm in Indianapolis, has yet to deliver an AFC South title. Just two playoff appearances in nearly a decade.
That’s not just underwhelming - it’s the kind of track record that typically leads to a reset. But the Colts haven’t pulled the plug.
Not yet.
The clock might be ticking, though. Ballard is under contract through next season, but the 2027 offseason could be a pivotal moment. If the trajectory doesn’t change, the franchise may finally be forced to look in a different direction.
Meanwhile, Colts fans are watching other organizations make bold moves - and reap the rewards. Take the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks. Both teams made sweeping changes in recent years, and now they’re heading to the Super Bowl.
New England moved on from Bill Belichick - a legendary figure who held both head coach and GM duties - and began a full-scale rebuild. Just two years later, they’re back in the title hunt with a new coach, a new quarterback, and a new identity. That’s the kind of turnaround that shows what’s possible when a team isn’t afraid to shake things up.
Seattle followed a similar path. While GM John Schneider stayed, Pete Carroll - who had final say over the roster - was essentially operating as the team’s architect.
The Seahawks chose to pivot, trading away Geno Smith and DK Metcalf, two of their biggest names, in an effort to reshape the culture and direction of the team. It was a risk, but it paid off.
And then there’s Indianapolis. The Colts made a quarterback move of their own last offseason, signing a former Vikings signal-caller.
But they didn’t go all-in - they went with the more affordable option. Daniel Jones brought some early-season stability under Shane Steichen, but his injury history loomed large.
After two previous season-ending injuries, he tore his Achilles in 2025, ending his year prematurely once again.
Would the Colts have been better off outbidding Seattle for Sam Darnold? It’s hard not to think so.
Darnold has shown flashes of high-level play and, more importantly, has a cleaner injury history. In Steichen’s system, Darnold could’ve been a seamless fit.
And if he stays healthy, the Colts are likely still playing football right now.
Ballard has earned praise in some circles for his draft picks and roster construction, and yes, there have been solid moves along the way. But the results - the only thing that truly matters - haven’t matched the narrative. The Colts are still chasing relevance while other teams, who embraced change, are playing for a championship.
At some point, Indianapolis has to decide whether continuity is still the right call - or if it’s time to take a page from the Seahawks and Patriots and bet on something bold.