Losing to the Tennessee Titans was certainly going to affect the Indianapolis Colts in a number of ways. Playing at home, Indianapolis fell 26-20 to its division rivals in Week 6, dropping to a 2-4 record. But the defeat has brought consequences beyond the standings, as the Colts have now made a major front-office move, firing general manager Chris Ballard.
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“I am grateful to Chris for his years of service to the Colts and for everything he poured into this organization. He cared deeply about our team and our community, and we wish Chris and his family all the best,” Colts’ owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon said in a statement on X. “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.
“Making this change during the season was a deliberate decision. Waiting would only delay the important work that needs to begin now. We will conduct a thorough search for our next general manager and take the time necessary to identify the right leader for the future of this organization. I also want to be clear: This decision does not change our goals for the season. We have a lot of football in front of us, and I expect us to compete, improve, and win football games.”
The decision came after Irsay-Gordon backed up Ballard following a disappointing finish to the 2025 season. With quarterback Daniel Jones under center, the Colts started the season 8-2, remaining the best team in the AFC. But things went downhill the moment Jones missed the remainder of the season with a season-ending injury. Indianapolis lost its final seven games and missed the playoffs.
As the Colts continued to struggle in the 2026 season, a major front-office change was becoming increasingly difficult to avoid, especially given Chris Ballard’s tenure as general manager. Ballard was entering the final year of his contract, but his firing also reflects the team’s struggles over the past several seasons.
He joined the team in 2017 as a general manager, but since then, Indianapolis has qualified for the playoffs just a couple of times, going 1-2 in three appearances. Their last playoff appearance came during the 2020 season.
Since then, the team is on a five-year playoff drought and has yet to win a postseason game since the 2018 season. At the same time, Indianapolis has a 72-82-1 regular-season record during Ballard’s decade-long tenure. But the Week 6 loss to the winless Titans pulled the plug on his job.
The team had a 13-0 lead at halftime, but eventually lost 26-20 as the chants of “Fire Ballard” echoed through the Lucas Oil Stadium.
Through the first six weeks of the season, the team ranked 14th in the league with 24 points scored per game, but 22nd in total yards. At the same time, the defensive struggles are obvious, as the Colts rank 27th after allowing 27.3 points per game and 25th in total yards allowed.
And now, the team will face the 5-0 Minnesota Vikings on the road, which currently has the No. 1 defense in the league. With Chris Ballard’s firing, it remains to be seen how the team’s season unfolds from here and how it will affect the coaching staff and the roster in the upcoming weeks.