The Indianapolis Colts once looked like legitimate contenders, powered by a resurgent Daniel Jones to a 7-1 start to the season. That optimism, however, has vanished, as the Texans’ win on Saturday officially eliminated Indianapolis from playoff contention.
It’s the fifth straight season the Colts will miss the playoffs, and with Chris Ballard already on the hot seat entering the year, calls for the general manager’s firing have reached a boiling point.
Fans Unleash Their Frustration on Chris Ballard
The Colts have been in the NFL wilderness since QB Andrew Luck’s surprise retirement after the 2018 season. Ballard was in his second year as the general manager and was caught off guard by the need to find a new face of the franchise.
Since then, the results have not been promising. The team has not won a playoff game since Luck retired in 2018, and things have gotten worse with the team not even making the playoffs since a wild-card exit in 2020.
What once felt like bad luck is now viewed by much of the fanbase as a pattern of failure, and following their elimination on Saturday, the Colts fans have had enough.
“There is literally no excuse to keep Chris Ballard,” wrote one fan. “Injuries? The 49ers & Pats have had more injuries and are fighting for the 1 seed in their conferences. Bad Luck? This is a 100% skill 0% luck occupation. Simply put, he hasn’t put good enough rosters out there. FIRE HIM!!!”
Others pointed to the collapse from what once looked like a dream season.
“Get rid of Ballard. Not sure about Steichen yet. Absolutely cannot miss playoffs after starting 7-1/8-2. It’s almost as if it’s in their DNA to collapse. 9 years in and nothing to show for. The Jaguars with a new coach and GM are gonna win division in their first year,” argued one fan.
“A Chris Ballard led team once again falls short. The good news is he should be fired in the next few weeks,” wrote another.
“Chris Ballard refuses to be aggressive and add players that make the team better. Culture only gets you so far, you need talent,” a third added.
Indianapolis once stood at 8–2. Since then, they have lost five straight games and now face an uncertain future, without first-round draft picks next season, making a reset even more difficult.
“If the Irsay sisters care about honoring their late father and the family reputation, then Chris Ballard should be fired immediately after the season is over. I don’t want anymore excuses about him. He’s done far enough damage,” wrote another.
The Colts’ fall is historically rare. Since the 1970 AFL–NFL merger, only six teams have started 7–1 or better and still missed the playoffs.
Head coach Shane Steichen, now in his third year, could find himself under scrutiny as well if Indianapolis fails to show competitiveness over the final two weeks, beginning with a matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. But many believe the priority is clear, and it starts with Ballard.
