Colts GM Chris Ballard Under Scrutiny in Year 10
The short version
- Chris Ballard is in Year 10 as Colts general manager.
- His record entering the season was 70-78-1 with two playoff berths, one playoff win and no division titles.
- The Colts have not made the playoffs since Philip Rivers retired after the 2020 season.
- Draft hits include Quenton Nelson, Darius Leonard, Jonathan Taylor and Tyler Warren.
A decade-long review of Chris Ballard's tenure as Colts general manager cites one playoff win and no AFC South titles as reasons his job status faces questions.
Chris Ballard is in his tenth season as general manager of the Indianapolis Colts, and the results over that span are drawing criticism. Entering this season, his record running the front office stood at 70-78-1, with two playoff appearances, a single postseason victory and no AFC South championships.
The article, published by Yahoo Sports, notes that Indianapolis has not reached the playoffs since Philip Rivers retired following the 2020 campaign. Twice in that period the club finished 9-8, which the writer describes as the effective ceiling of the Ballard-era teams.
The piece acknowledges that Ballard has landed notable draft selections, including Quenton Nelson, Darius Leonard, Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce, Tyler Warren and Braden Smith. Even so, it argues the successes have not produced lasting winning football, with the roster repeatedly stuck around the middle of the standings.
The report also points to the wider division context, observing that Houston, Jacksonville and Tennessee have each rebuilt or reset at various points while the Colts have remained in the same position. It concludes that after ten years, explanations such as Andrew Luck's retirement, injuries and inconsistent quarterback play no longer suffice.
