The Indianapolis Colts head into the 2025 season with a coaching staff that blends promise, past success, and pressing questions. Head coach Shane Steichen returns for Year 3, joined by offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter and new defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo.
In Ben Solak’s annual league wide ranking of all 32 coaching staffs, he placed the Colts at No. 18 overall. It’s a mid-pack spot, just below the top half of the league. But it’s also a noticeable drop from their No. 11 ranking a year ago. The message is clear: past accolades only get you so far.
Steichen’s Reputation Still Carries Weight (For Now)
GettyCoaching the Colts Through Uncertainty and Opportunity
Steichen arrived in Indianapolis with a reputation as one of the league’s brightest young offensive minds, fresh off a Super Bowl appearance with the Eagles. In 2023, he furthered that reputation by guiding the Colts to a competitive season despite losing quarterback Anthony Richardson to injury early in the year. Gardner Minshew stepped in and performed well, a testament to Steichen’s ability to adjust and scheme for success.
But as Solak points out, Steichen’s most impressive stretch is starting to fade into the background. “Steichen’s best work was as the Eagles’ offensive coordinator in 2022,” Solak wrote.
That’s not to say Steichen is on the hot seat. But in Year 3, with Richardson healthy and another veteran in Daniel Jones behind him, expectations are rising. Solak still believes in Steichen’s ability to get the most out of his quarterbacks: “His ability to elevate Gardner Minshew in 2023 gives me faith in his ability to scheme a respectable offense around Daniel Jones if he starts in 2025 — lots of RPOs in spread formations to create easy reads.”
It’s clear the Colts offensive identity will be shaped by who wins the QB battle, but Steichen’s ability to adapt should give Indianapolis fans reason for optimism.
DC Anarumo Brings a Fresh Voice (And Big Questions)
GettyA New Season, A Tighter Margin for Error
The most notable change in Indianapolis is on the defensive side, where Anarumo steps in after several seasons in Cincinnati. He brings a reputation for complex, matchup-based coverage schemes and was once a hot name on the head coaching carousel. But Solak issued a note of caution.
“His defense fell apart in Cincinnati in large part because of young players who weren’t ready to be out on the field,” Solak wrote. The question is: Was that on the Bengals’ lack of talent on the defensive side of the ball, or Anarumo’s coaching approach?
Luckily, the Colts boast proven veterans across the board from DeForest Buckner and Zaire Franklin to Charvarius Ward and Camryn Bynum. That could allow Anarumo to focus less on development and more on execution, at least early on.
There’s no panic surrounding the Colts sideline. But after slipping in the rankings and watching other AFC contenders reload, Steichen and company face a pivotal year. As Solak summed it up:
“If Anarumo can get a quick jump out of this group — and I believe he’s that caliber of coach — then this staff belongs up here, just above average.”
For now, they sit just below that threshold: a staff with promise, but one that must prove it still belongs in the league’s top tier.
NFL Insider Reveals Where Colts Coaching Staff Ranks Entering 2025