If there’s anything Indianapolis Colts fans have made clear this season, it’s their dislike of Shane Steichen and Chris Ballard at the helm.
But now, Ballard has been fired by the organization.
Following the public announcement, social media exploded with reactions.
NFL World Reacts To Colts Firing Ballard
Here’s what fans and analysts are saying on X, formerly Twitter:
@PatMcAfeeShow: “BREAKING: CHRIS BALLARD, IN HIS 10th SEASON IN INDY, HAS BEEN FIRED AS @Colts GM.”
@ZachHicks2: “You guys can hate Daniel Jones all you want, but him throwing the ball to the other team each week freed us from Chris Ballard.”
@RapSheet: “In his previous 9 seasons as the #Colts GM, Chris Ballard never won a division title. Had one playoff win. Collapsed to a 1-8 to end last season. And don’t have a first-round pick.”
@theblockspot: “It’s HARD to win in the NFL. It’s impossible to win in the NFL when you don’t have consistent QB play. Chris Ballard always kept the Colts in the mix… and he was always classy in Indy. He’ll land on his feet.”
@carolinefenton1: “Chris Ballard has been in Indy for a decade and has never won the division. He couldn’t find a solution at QB, ruined Anthony Richardson, and overpaid for a CB that hasn’t made a difference. This is the right move, and got far more leeway than other GMs across the league would’ve gotten with those results.”
@mchappell51: “Carlie Isray-Gordon has had enough and fired Chris Ballard. But now the really hard part begins. The Colts haven’t sniffed the playoffs since 2020 and the looming rebuilding prob is going to be a 2-3-4 year process. It’s easy and often necessary to blow it up.”
@ChrisTrapasso: “Surprising Chris Ballard held onto his GM gig in Indy as long as he did. Quite a run. Always loved the freak athletes in the draft… but it was too many bad draft classes that led to his firing. And he never really got the QB spot right. Too many veteran experiments there.”
@MySportsUpdate: “Chris Ballard is one of the genuinely good people in football. But as strange as it may sound, I think his loyalty, belief in people and kindness sometimes worked against him. The #Colts went all-in last year after starting 8-2 by trading two 1st-round picks for Sauce Gardner, then gave a massive deal to Daniel Jones off a torn Achilles. It has not worked so far.”
Where Do the Colts Stand Right Now?
Indianapolis’ 2-4 record places them second in the AFC South, behind the Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2).
The Houston Texans (2-4) and the Tennessee Titans (1-5) trail in third and fourth, respectively,
Tennessee’s one and only victory thus far was over the Colts on Sunday, which prompted these events to unfold as they did.
Looking ahead, Indianapolis is now gearing up for a Week 7 clash against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, Oct. 25, at 1 p.m. ET.
NFL World Erupts on Social Media After Colts Fire GM Chris Ballard