Horseshoe Huddle

Carlie Irsay-Gordon Sets Tone for Ballard, Steichen in 2026

The Indianapolis Colts' front office is skating on thin ice.
Sean Ackerman|
Dec 22, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon walks off the field at halftime of the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Dec 22, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon walks off the field at halftime of the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

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Indianapolis Colts

The Indianapolis Colts had a 2025 filled with change, but the final product mirrored past seasons of disappointment as the Colts missed the postseason for a fifth consecutive year.

The Colts stumbled into the 2025 season with new ownership, a new quarterback, and a new defensive coordinator, but they still pieced together one of the league's best 10-game starts. That initial success, before the injuries, convinced owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon to retain general manager Chris Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen for another year.

Irsay-Gordon spoke to the media on Monday afternoon, a day after the Colts' season came to a close with a loss against the Houston Texans.

"To our fans: My sisters and I want to extend our heartfelt gratitude for your loyalty and support as always, but particularly this season," Irsay-Gordon said. "You're right to be frustrated with how the latter part of our season went. I'm pissed. We are all pissed."

"Every season is unique, and this season really was a tale of two seasons in one. We were all encouraged by our first half. We experienced a lot of progress, which gives us optimism for the future and the direction we are heading as a team. Then, adversity struck. But no matter what the circumstances are, we have to be able to find a way to win and finish games."

"So, with that said, Chris will continue as our general manager and Shane will continue as our head coach for this next season. We have been very clear with Chris and Shane that giving them another opportunity means that the sense of urgency for them to deliver and perform has never been higher."

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Irsay-Gordon concluded her opening statement by saying she is ultimately responsible for the team's performance and not fulfilling the promise to be the best.

Speaking publicly after her inaugural campaign as owner, Irsay-Gordon struck a reflective but forward-looking tone, acknowledging both the disappointment of missing the playoffs and the need to win games in the future.

Irsay-Gordon made it clear that Ballard and Steichen have her full support, but that they're walking on razor-thin ice. She reiterated the "sense of urgency" and the need to "finish games" throughout her press conference, saying that the front office must figure it out in 2026.

When asked about how she evaluates the quarterback position after this season, Irsay-Gordon praised Daniel Jones' early play and showed sympathy for him and Anthony Richardson's injury situations.

"So I think Daniel came in here knowing he had something to prove," Irsay-Gordon said. " I think he did a great job. He's a great teammate... I think he gave a lot of the players on our team hope."

Irsay-Gordon didn't make any clear commitment to Jones, and she refused to comment on his torn Achilles tendon factoring into the decision.

Irsay-Gordon was asked about Richardson, but she didn't give any clear indication of how the team will approach his situation in the offseason.

At the end of the day, Irsay-Gordon repeated the same sentiments over and over. She stressed how important the end of a season really is, which is something Shane Steichen commented on earlier in the day.

"That’s going to be a deep study of mine this offseason for sure," Steichen said. "I think it’s a mindset, I think it’s a belief too, that every time you step on the practice field – and it starts with me and possibly looking into even more end-of-game situations. We do them, I need to probably do them more, to put those guys in position to be successful when those situations occur."

The Colts have a long spring and summer ahead with one focus in mind: winning a division title.

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Sean Ackerman
SEAN ACKERMAN

Sean Ackerman is the co-Deputy Editor of Indianapolis Colts on SI. Ackerman, a graduate of Western Kentucky University, majored in broadcasting. He's in his third year covering the NFL.

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