Shane Steichen’s case in Indianapolis got a little stronger this week, even with the noise around his future still hanging in the air.
The Colts have spent plenty of time under a microscope, and Steichen has taken his share of heat as the team has tried to climb back toward playoff relevance. But one new stat points in a different direction: NFL analyst Warren Sharp of Sharp Football says Indianapolis finished with the best goal-to-go offense in the league last season.
Sharp’s rankings were built from the 2025 regular season and combined goal-to-go play success rate with touchdown rate in goal-to-go situations.
That’s not a small thing, especially for a team that lost its starting quarterback late last season - again. The Colts still topped the league in that area, and that speaks to both Jonathan Taylor’s efficiency near the goal line and Steichen’s ability to scheme creatively in tight spaces.
It also feeds into the bigger picture with this franchise. The Colts keep looking like a team that is one solid quarterback away from pushing through and getting back into Super Bowl contention. That refrain has followed them since Andrew Luck retired just before the 2019 season, and it still hasn’t gone away.
Steichen has had to work through a long list of quarterbacks, including Anthony Richardson, Joe Flacco, Gardner Minshew II, Riley Leonard, and Philip Rivers years after his last career game. For an offensive coach, that kind of turnover is a brutal setup, but the offense has still found ways to function.
None of that guarantees anything for this season. If results go the wrong way, the Colts could move on from Steichen, and plenty of fans are already skeptical. But the other side of that coin is obvious too: if he were available, he’d likely be hired fast, and fast enough to become the top offensive coordinator candidate on the market.
Daniel Jones may end up deciding a lot of that. He has plenty riding on this season, with what could be his last shot to stick as a starter. He might also be the one player who can give Steichen more time by helping keep this offense moving under a coach whose play-calling has quietly kept Indianapolis from falling much further than it already has.
In Other News...
Anthony Richardson Just Put The Colts In A Tough Spot
Anthony Richardsons status has quietly become one of the more awkward storylines hanging over the Colts as the season approaches. A former first-round quarterback who was once supposed to be part of the franchises long-term answer is now sitting behind Daniel Jones, and his contract structure only adds another layer to the situation for Indianapolis.
The part the Colts have to sort through now is less about talent than leverage. Richardson has not withdrawn his trade request, and Chris Ballard has already made clear the team would rather get draft value back than carry him on the roster into the final year of his deal. That leaves Indianapolis weighing whether to hold firm or keep listening, with a team like the Jets looming as the kind of quarterback-needy partner that could make the next conversation a complicated one. [Read more 🡒]
Daniel Jones Just Changed The Feel Of The Colts Quarterback Battle
Weather pushed the Colts inside for their fourth camp practice, and the change of scenery did little to slow Daniel Jones. With Shane Steichen away for personal reasons, several veterans back on the field after resting or dealing with illness, Jones took a noticeable step forward in the red zone period and kept himself in the center of a quarterback competition that already has been worth tracking.
The details of the work matter because Indianapolis is still sorting out how the depth chart looks with Anthony Richardson Sr. and rookie Riley Leonard also getting reps. Jones timing and command stood out enough to alter the feel of the battle, while Leonard was more active in the rotation and Richardson got his turns as well, leaving the Colts with more to study once the full offense is back together. [Read more 🡒]
Jonathan Taylor Is Putting Colts On The Spot Again
Jonathan Taylor has been back in the Colts good graces for a while now, and the latest contract conversation feels a lot different from the last one. After the holdout that led to his three-year, $42 million extension, Taylor has continued to show up as the centerpiece of the offense, which is exactly why every word around his future carries extra weight in Indianapolis.
What makes this round of talks notable is the tone. Taylor has taken a cooperative approach and made it clear he wants to stay with the Colts long-term, a stance that stands in contrast to some younger running backs around the league who are pushing harder for new deals. For the Colts, the challenge is less about wondering whether Taylor wants to be part of the plan and more about whether the front office can keep one of its most important players content for the long haul. [Read more 🡒]