Overview
- The Colts dismissed Chris Ballard on Monday after a 2-4 start and a 26-20 home loss to the previously winless Tennessee Titans, with Irsay‑Gordon thanking Ballard and saying the club would start a thorough search for a new general manager right away.
- Assistant general manager Ed Dodds will oversee personnel on an interim basis, Shane Steichen remains head coach for now, and multiple outlets report Steichen’s job is on a hot seat as the organization weighs next steps.
- The firing followed visible fan unrest at Lucas Oil Stadium during the Titans game and a broader slide that included back-to-back losses and defensive breakdowns that intensified pressure on ownership to act.
- Ballard leaves after nearly a decade with a 72-82-1 regular-season record and two playoff berths, and his tenure is widely criticized for large moves that backfired, including trading two first-round picks for Sauce Gardner and failing to secure a stable franchise quarterback with Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones.
- With the NFL trade deadline on November 10 the Colts face near-term choices about competing or retooling, possible trade candidates and contract moves, and the decision will shape players’ futures, the coaching staff, and the franchise’s rebuild timeline.