Colts Fire GM Chris Ballard After Loss to Titans, Top Replacements for Carlie Irsay-Gordon's Team

The Indianapolis Colts announced Monday they fired general manager Chris Ballard.

"I am grateful to Chris for his years of service to the Colts and for everything he poured into this organization," team owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon said . "He cared deeply about our team and our community, and we wish Chris and his family all the best.

"As I said at the start of the season, the sense of urgency has never been higher. Our standard is to compete for championships, and I believe a change in leadership is necessary to meet that standard."

The move comes after the Colts lost 26-20 to the previously winless Tennessee Titans to fall to 2-4 on the season.

Given the timing of the change, Indianapolis will presumably wait until the offseason to name a permanent replacement for Ballard.

Back in January, The MMQB's Albert Breer listed off front-office executives who were potentially climbing up to a general manager job. Among those included was Colts assistant GM Ed Dodds, so Irsay-Gordon may not have to look far.

Detroit Lions general manager Ray Agnew, Kansas City Chiefs assistant general manager Mike Bradway and Buffalo Bills assistant general manager Terrance Gray were some of the others cited by Breer.

For some, Ballard's dismissal is long overdue.

The Colts have gone 72-82-1 and have one lone playoff win since he arrived in January 2017. They've missed the postseason altogether for five straight seasons.

Ballard got to hire two different head coaches (Frank Reich and Shane Steichen). Reich got the boot midway through the 2022 season, and Steichen doesn't look to be the answer on the sideline, either.

Indy has cycled through multiple starting quarterbacks as well and appears to have whiffed badly on Anthony Richardson, the No. 4 overall pick in 2023. Richardson has logged a total of 17 appearances since arriving in the NFL.

Signing Daniel Jones to a two-year, $88 million contract is quickly becoming an expensive mistake as he's regressing after his return from a major Achilles injury.

The decision to keep Steichen while firing Ballard is a sign Irsay-Gordon believes there's time to turn the season around. Maybe she's right.

But the Miami Dolphins made the same calculation last year when they dismissed general manager Chris Grier on Halloween. Head coach Mike McDaniel eventually followed him out the door in January after Miami finished 7-10.

If the Colts' playoff drought stretches to six years, ownership could decide to wipe the slate totally clean rather than retain Steichen with a new GM for 2027.