Analyst Not Impressed with Colts' Shane Steichen for 2025 Season

The Indianapolis Colts can improve vastly in many ways to ensure they don't finish with a losing record in 2025, as last season the 8-9 mark wasn't good enough in any regard.

While everyone points to the second-year regression of Anthony Richardson under center, his play caller and head coach, Shane Steichen, also took steps back.

The 33rd Team's Dan Pizzuta had Steichen ranked as middling as possible at 16th out of 28 candidates.

Pizzuta provided his reasoning for Steichen's spot.

The Richardson offense never fully clicked in 2024. Between missed easy throws, a continued focus on downfield passing, and spotty use of the quarterback run game, the Indianapolis Colts left a lot to be desired.
Dan Pizzuta | The 33rd Team

Richardson looked uncomfortable often, passing for a completion percentage of 47.7 and eight touchdown tosses to 12 interceptions. While a great runner, he still coughed up nine fumbles despite scoring six times with his feet.

As Pizzuta mentions, Steichen showed his prowess as a leader of the offense when Gardner Minshew took over in 2023 for the injured Richardson. But the former Jacksonville Jaguars starter was experienced, safe with throws, and accurate enough to progress the offense and gain first downs.

Richardson was too up-and-down but did showcase the 'clutch gene' against teams like the New York Jets and New England Patriots. But those teams are bad, and the Colts had to put up heroics, while catching breaks, to obtain the victories.

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Off the play calls for a moment, Steichen also didn't do the best at creating a disciplined locker room environment. Multiple players called out the team for an abysmal attitude within the walls of the franchise, including mainstays like DeForest Buckner and Kenny Moore II.

#Colts DT DeForest Buckner on the defense:

“We all have egos, but the great teams … they sacrifice that ego …”

“It’s not like we haven’t called things out …”

“You can take ownership of your own stuff, but you can’t force someone to take ownership of their own stuff.” pic.twitter.com/DtOABYhdD7
— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) January 6, 2025

Regardless of what happened then, Steichen can't allow this lack of culture to continue in 2025, and neither can Chris Ballard. Along with improving how he approaches leading these men, he also has to be better at directing Richardson.

Yes, Richardson has to play better than completing sub-50 percent of his throws and the turnovers, but without proper calls, it won't help the young and developing field general. Honestly, 16th is a generous spot for Steichen, as sometimes he looked like a lost coach trying to throw paint at a wall with Richardson and Joe Flacco.

Steichen's 2023 and 2024 are vastly different, with one being good and the other being rough. Steichen has to put on his best coaching performance to help propel Indianapolis to the playoffs for the first time since 2020.

If the postseason isn't obtained, Steichen's time as the head coach might be over. Success isn't easy to obtain given the competition in the NFL, but Steichen has an alien in Richardson under center. If the pieces can align and Steichen and improve his offensive mind, the sky is the limit for this team.

Look for Indianapolis to fit possible free agents on offense and defense to add talent and depth, while also peering to the draft to help Richardson. It all depends on the 22-year-old's success in 2025 for the Colts to be taken seriously in the AFC South and the NFL.

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