It was a bonus for the Indianapolis Colts to have quarterback Daniel Jones back for Week 1 of the 2026 regular season. The signal-caller had been coming off of a torn Achilles. The offense’s outing versus the Baltimore Ravens, however, was not ideal. The group had just 251 yards altogether. It’s very early on, but that has to raise some concern. Jones himself was only able to throw for 166 yards on 19 completions.
There are more questions than answers after the 41-23 beatdown, so, naturally, curiosities about what could be done differently will come to the surface. Head Coach Shane Steichen is already on a relatively warm seat. Now, it could be getting hotter.
Things tend to occasionally get complicated when head coaches also have coordinator duties. Steichen is the man calling the plays for his offense. On Sunday, the unit was far from what it needs to be. That’s why a fan asked The Athletic‘s James Boyd about Steichen giving up play-calling for he Colts. The reporter was very stern in his response, noting that it will never happen.
“Shane Steichen will never give up play-calling as long as he’s the #Colts HC. No need for us to keep asking that.”
Boyd also noted that this area is one of Steichen’s strengths. With that said, sometimes a head coach needs to take a step back to be better. For example, Lou Anarumo is a trusted defensive mind, but it could help if the head coach wasn’t focused so much on offense.
Steichen undoubtedly involves himself in all of meetings throughout the week. Despite this, it could make a lot of sense to manage his team rather than truly focus on one area. In the end, it could be what comes back to bite him.
Colts’ Tough Schedule Could Lead To Early Firing
The Kansas City Chiefs, Houston Texans, Washington Commanders and Pittsburgh Steelers are next up for Steichen and Co. Those matchups could all legitimately result in losses. If the Colts are 0-5, or even 1-4, Carlie Irsay-Gordon could have no other choice aside from making a move.
Indianapolis giving Steichen the boot in 2026 isn’t out of the question because teams fire coaches midseason quite often. While he is a wise offensive mind, stepping back and really focusing on the team’s game plan as a whole could be exactly what he needs to do. Per Boyd, however, that’s not going to happen anytime soon.
Indianapolis Has Fallen Hard Since Hot Start In 2025
Following an 8-2 start a year ago, many viewed the Colts as being one of the top teams in the NFL. Then, disaster struck. The seven-game losing skid to end the campaign, paired with Jones’ Achilles injury, ruined everything that Steichen had spent time building.
Nothing is going to get easier for this coaching staff or roster. Adversity is already settling in even though the Colts have only played one game. For now, Steichen also isn’t going to give up his main job as an offensive play-caller. That could ultimately lead to his time with Indianapolis coming to an end.
Colts’ Shane Steichen Will “Never” Make 1 Crucial Change: Insider