The Indianapolis Colts had a disastrous finish to the 2025 NFL season. Daniel Jones seemed to have the team headed for the postseason, only to suffer an Achilles injury in early December.
The team ended up finishing the season on a seven-game losing streak after an 8-2 start, with Philip Rivers even coming out of retirement to start several of those games.
There is hope once again in 2026 and the Colts will enter Week 1 with no players listed as “out” for Sunday on the injury report. That is a great way to start the season, especially against a challenging opponent in the Baltimore Ravens.
One Colts reporter shared a brief video on the biggest questions facing the Colts in 2026. While making the playoffs is the main focus for the team, there is one individual in particular to keep an eye on as the season progresses.
Colts GM Chris Ballard Under the Microscope
Chris Ballard has served as Colts GM since the 2017 season. The team went 4-12 that year and Chuck Pagano was fired, replaced by Frank Reich. Of course, this came after a fiasco involving Josh McDaniels who was hired as head coach, only to go back on that decision.
Ballard also saw Andrew Luck abruptly retire, drafted Anthony Richardson at No. 4 overall in 2023, and only has one playoff win during his tenure.
James Boyd covers the Colts for The Athletic and noted one cannot preview the Colts’ season without acknowledging the status of Ballard.
“Of course, we can’t get through a Colts season preview without mentioning the man in charge, Colts general manager Chris Ballard,” Boyd said in a video shared on X. “He is back for his 10th season. Some may argue that he hasn’t earned that long of a tenure. Through his first nine years, only two playoff appearances, one playoff victory, and zero AFC South titles.”
Boyd also notes how this is the final year of Ballard’s current contract. Not even reaching the postseason could mean the franchise finally decides to move on.
Colts GM Banking on Daniel Jones
Jones was brought in last season and finally looked like he was reaching his true potential. The Achilles injury cut the season short and all eyes will be on the quarterback, as such an injury is not an easy one to recover from.
Jonathan Taylor returns as well, though another year older, and the Colts are fully healthy entering Week 1. Yet it likely all comes down to quarterback play once again.
Ballard has had plenty of draft successes and getting Jones looks like a smart move. It would just be hard for the organization to rationalize keeping Ballard around if this team he assembled can’t reach the postseason for the sixth season in a row.
Colts Facing Major Question Mark With GM Chris Ballard