The Indianapolis Colts have become the definition of stuck in the middle. A flat 17-17 under Shane Steichen. And yet, the recent quarterback battle between Anthony Richardson, the supposed future, and Daniel Jones, a castoff from a team tied for the NFL’s worst record last season, ended with Jones walking away as the winner. That outcome alone has stirred up questions about Steichen’s judgment and where exactly the team is headed.

Meanwhile, Richardson’s situation is hard to overlook. He came into Indy with raw talent and sky-high expectations, who could reshape the Horseshoe’s future if nurtured properly. But his injuries have slowed his progress, and the organization hasn’t exactly helped his case. Instead of finding ways to give him meaningful reps, they’ve kept shifting the narrative around his development. And now the biggest question lingers. Are Shane Steichen and the front office even aligned on what’s best for their young quarterback?

As reported by The Athletic, “The Colts have come up just short of the playoffs in both of Steichen’s seasons, so it’s understandable why they’d choose a steadier hand in Jones. However, what’s the team’s realistic ceiling even if Jones has the best season of his career? The Colts have allowed the third-most points in the NFL over the past three seasons, so they aren’t exactly backing their QB with a defensive juggernaut.” That’s why insider Jeff Howe didn’t mince words, saying, “The Colts must firmly commit to a plan to escape their current state.”

In fact, the bigger picture doesn’t look much brighter. Over the past 10 seasons, Indy has only two postseason trips and a single playoff win to show for it. Ever since Andrew Luck’s shocking retirement in 2019, the franchise has been spinning its wheels in search of stability. Instead of pushing all in on Richardson to find out if he can be salvaged, the front office appears locked on squeezing out hollow wins. That approach doesn’t scream Super Bowl, and they might also miss out on the top-tier QB prospects of 2026.

Adding to the gamble, Jones is also struggling. His last true highlight came in 2022, when he led the Giants to their first playoff win in over a decade. That year, he finished with 15 passing touchdowns, just five interceptions, and added seven more on the ground. It looked like a turning point, right?

But since then, reality has been harsh. Over the last two seasons, Jones has gone 3-13 as a starter, with 10 touchdowns against 13 interceptions, eventually being benched and cut outright. His Giants run ended with a brutal 24-44-1 record, 85 total touchdowns offset by 73 turnovers in 70 games. And that’s precisely what circles back to Steichen- what’s next?.

Shane Steichen won’t trade Richardson, but what’s their plan?

For a head coach trying to stabilize the team, a QB shuffle is the last thing you want to see. While Richardson is now QB2 for the second time in under a year, GM Chris Ballard doubled down on Wednesday that Indy isn’t throwing in the towel on him. That’s confusing, because if the Colts aren’t giving up on their highest draft pick since Luck went No. 1 in 2012, then what exactly is the plan here?

As per The Athletic, Shane Steichen hasn’t been able to provide a clear answer when asked. Ballard didn’t deliver much either. Instead, he made one firm declaration: they won’t trade Richardson. As Ballard put it, “There’s two ways you can handle this: You can go in the dumps or you can accept the challenge. And accept the challenge to keep getting better, be prepared, continue to work on your fundamentals, continue to work on the daily game-planning that has to happen as a quarterback … and then being ready to go because you’re one snap away. That’s real, and that’s a natural development.”

However, Richardson’s development has been anything but natural. The 23-year-old has already missed 17 games with injuries, and the Colts have mishandled situations, too. Last season was a prime example: Richardson pulled himself from a game against Houston, claiming he was “tired,” and the team subsequently benched him for the remainder of the season. Yet, after Joe Flacco’s struggles and two straight losses, Shane Steichen changed course and put Richardson back in.

At that point, Indy swore Richardson had grown into a better leader and student of the game. But how much can a player change in two weeks? Not nearly enough. Ballard still tried to spin it on Wednesday, saying Richardson has “come miles” despite finishing last year with a league-worst 47.7 completion percentage. So what’s next?

If Jones falters, maybe Richardson sneaks back onto the field. But if Jones is solid enough to get the Horseshoe back into the playoffs for the first time since 2020, there’s no reason for Indy to hand Richardson the reins in 2026. Either way, this season will go a long way in defining the Colts’ future