INDIANAPOLIS — Colts principal owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon knew she had to say something.
Hours after Indianapolis lost its regular-season finale against the Houston Texans to conclude an 8-9 campaign, the team announced that general manager Chris Ballard and coach Shane Steichen would be retained. The decision, which Irsay-Gordon said she and her sisters, Kalen Jackson and Casey Foyt made last week, quickly drew anger from a large portion of the Colts fanbase, especially those who believe Ballard has been given too many chances without delivering. In nine seasons, he is 70-78-1 with just two playoff appearances, one postseason win and zero AFC South titles. Meanwhile, Steichen is 25-26 in three playoff-less campaigns.
Irsay-Gordon, speaking in a news conference Monday for the first time since June, said in her opening statement that she empathized with the fans who are fed up with the Colts’ continued failures. Sunday’s loss in Houston, their seventh straight defeat to end the season, capped one of the worst collapses in NFL history. After starting 8-2, the Colts became the first team in 30 years to miss the playoffs.
“You’re right to be frustrated with how the latter part of our season went,” Irsay-Gordon said, addressing the fans. “I’m pissed. We are all pissed. … Even though we didn’t get the results we expected, I’m confident in what we’re building and how we’re building it.”
Where Irsay-Gordon draws that confidence from, given Ballard’s struggles in particular, may be hard to pinpoint when looking at the totality of his tenure. The Colts have not won a playoff game since 2018, and their five-year playoff drought is tied for the third longest active streak in the NFL. Every other AFC South team has won the division multiple times since Ballard took the reins in 2017.
Steichen, on the other hand, is just 7-22 against teams that finished the season above .500 during his tenure. He is also just 2-10 against the Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars, who are the last two teams to win the AFC South.
“I think what Chris knows and Shane knows is that the sense of urgency this year has never been higher to be able to win and finish games,” Irsay-Gordon said.
Reminded of the sense of urgency she declared in June, when she said “Chris and Shane know that they have things they need to fix,” before the Colts unraveled yet again during the 2025 season, Irsay-Gordon simply doubled down Monday.
“Well, the sense of urgency is higher than last year,” Irsay-Gordon said.
Carlie Irsay-Gordon, asked about Anthony Richardson’s future with the #Colts:
“I’m gonna stay in my lane on that one. But I feel horrible for Anthony with the injuries that he’s had to endure. And I know (GM Chris Ballard) and (HC Shane Steichen) are gonna do the right thing.” pic.twitter.com/y9nJlgM2hv
— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) January 5, 2026
She described the 2025 campaign as “a tale of two seasons.” Indianapolis won its first season-opener since 2013, improved to 2-0 for the first time since 2009 and stood atop the AFC standings at 8-2 after an overtime win against the Atlanta Falcons in Berlin. But the Colts failed to win another game, as they were ravaged by injuries, most notably to QB Daniel Jones. The 2019 No. 6 pick, who was released by the New York Giants last year, revitalized his career in Indy before popping up on the injury report with a fractured left fibula in Week 12 and ultimately tearing his right Achilles tendon in Week 14.
Irsay-Gordon emphasized that “injuries are never can an excuse” in the NFL, and while she didn’t explicitly state it, by running it back with Ballard and Steichen, she believes the healthy team she saw through the first half of the 2025 season can reemerge and finish the job in 2026.
Irsay-Gordon would not say, though, that the upcoming season is a “playoffs-or-else” campaign for Ballard and Steichen, who are under contract through 2026 and 2028, respectively. Asked if Ballard, whom she repeatedly backed Monday, would receive an extension, Irsay-Gordon said she and Ballard hadn’t “discussed that yet,” which sets the stage for the GM to finish out the last year of his contract for the first time during his now decade-long tenure.
Irsay-Gordon was also asked if finances were a reason Steichen and Ballard were retained, with the implication being that the team was either unable or unwilling to pay a fired GM and coach while also paying people to replace them. The owner quickly dismissed that notion while, again, acknowledging that her decision to keep Ballard and Steichen could make her the target of some fans’ ire.
“I wish I could hear what my dad would have said or tweeted, potentially,” Irsay-Gordon said, laughing. “But no, certainly, I think we have a great culture in place. We have guys that care so much. And our family, we’ve continued what our dad’s always done. We have great relationships with our players. They played their asses off this year, but at the end of the day, our fans, we understand, and we want to validate (their frustration). Like I said, the sense of urgency to deliver on what we promised … could not be higher.”
Colts likely to retain Daniel Jones
Irsay-Gordon deferred to Ballard when discussing Jones’ forthcoming free agency, but all signs point to the veteran QB rehabbing his torn Achilles and returning to Indianapolis now that Steichen and Ballard have been retained. The 28-year-old was playing arguably the best football of his career before his season was cut short, throwing 19 TDs against eight interceptions, plus five rushing TDs in 13 games. Indianapolis went 8-5 with Jones as the starter, though he did not finish his last start, a loss in Jacksonville, due to injury.
“He knew he had something to prove, and I think he did a great job,” Irsay-Gordon said of Jones. “He’s a great teammate, building relationships with other players. I think he gave a lot of the players on our team hope that we can (win).”
Asked if Jones’ ruptured Achilles tendon and lengthy injury history would make the team hesitant to re-sign him, Irsay-Gordon said, “I don’t know if it’s appropriate to comment on his injury.” Jones, for what it’s worth, noted that teams will consider all factors as he enters free agency, but he expects to be cleared by the start of training camp in July.
Jones would presumably be the incumbent starter in Indy, though he still noted that free agency is a business, and that nothing is set in stone. The former Duke standout has been a member of three NFL franchises (the Giants, Minnesota Vikings and Colts) over the past two years, but he’s built a strong reputation in the Colts locker room, with several players advocating for the team to retain him.
“I’d love to be back,” Jones said Monday. “I really think the organization here, (from the) top down, is first class. I think the Irsays, Chris, Shane, everybody here, I’ve really enjoyed working with (everyone). So, we’ll see. I’ll let my agents and representation handle those conversations.”
Anthony Richardson Sr., whom Jones supplanted as the Colts’ QB1 ahead of the 2025 campaign, did not speak to the media during Monday’s locker room clean-out. The 2023 No. 4 pick said last week that he hadn’t “necessarily thought about my future here” in Indianapolis, as he continues rehabbing from an orbital fracture that resulted in vision impairment in his right eye. Asked if Richardson still had a role in Indy, with Jones poised to return as QB1 and rookie Riley Leonard showing promise as a backup, Steichen was noncommittal.
“We’ll see,” Steichen said Monday. “I mean, the biggest thing is the eye limitations. That’s got to get healthy, and those are conversations that will take place in the future.”
Irsay-Gordon added that she felt “horrible” for Richardson, in regards to the injuries he’s suffered since entering the NFL, before adding that she trusts Steichen and Ballard to “do the right thing” regarding his future with the franchise.
Soon-to-be FA WR Alec Pierce, asked how important it would be for the #Colts to retain QB Daniel Jones in free agency:
“Oh, it would be huge. That would definitely be a big thing for getting me back here is having him here.” pic.twitter.com/WtfPhvvK2N
— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) January 5, 2026
Alec Pierce’s looming payday
Aside from Jones, wide receiver Alec Pierce is the Colts’ most important soon-to-be free agent. The fourth-year receiver totaled 47 catches for 1,003 yards and six TDs in 2025. His 21.3 yards per reception were a league high, marking the second straight year he’s led the NFL in that category. However, Pierce proved he was more than a deep threat this year and emerged as the Colts’ No. 1 receiver over veteran Michael Pittman Jr.
The 25-year-old said he’s enjoyed his time in Indianapolis and wouldn’t mind coming back, but he’s also eager to hear what other teams have to offer. The Colts could, however, franchise tag Pierce, so that he can’t be courted by what will surely be a long list of suitors. The wide receiver franchise tag is projected to be a fully guaranteed $28 million in 2026, per OverTheCap.
If the Colts don’t tag Pierce, one other factor that could sway his mind is who they have at QB. Pierce has developed a close bond with Jones, whom he praised for leading Indy’s high-powered offense through the first half of the season. The Colts averaged 3.17 points per drive during their 8-2 start, which is the fourth-highest mark through a team’s first 10 games this century.
“Oh, it’d be huge,” Pierce said of the Colts retaining Jones. “That would definitely be a big thing for getting me back is having him here.”