Confidence That Chris Ballard Can Succeed is Drowning in an Abyss

Time is up for Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard.

Indianapolis Colts General Manager Chris Ballard speaks with media Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, at the Colts practice facility in Indianapolis. | Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It's no secret that Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard has likely overstayed his welcome as the front office leader.

I used to defend Ballard staying. Why you ask? Because no general manager in recent memory has had a generational franchise quarterback like Andrew Luck retire abruptly.

Ballard constructed a roster around Luck with Quenton Nelson, Braden Smith, Grover Stewart, and Shaq Leonard.

Just after it appeared like Ballard put together the perfect roster following a trip to the divisional round in 2018, everything fell apart after Luck called it a career ahead of the 2019 season.

Since then, it's been a disaster for Indianapolis, especially at quarterback. Now, after another 8-9 finish with no AFC South title or playoffs, I've rescinded having Ballard's back, as it's impossible anymore.

Patrick Daugherty at NBC Sports brings up Ballard's roster-building practices in his recap of every team from the 2025 season, as well as the outlook.

Daugherty discusses plenty with Indy's entry, but what was mentioned about Ballard is what many believe about the long-time Colts GM.

Daugherty provides this statement after referencing that, one day, Daniel Jones’ success might not be too good to be true.

"It seems unlikely any day will be that day in Indy as long as GM Chris Ballard is assembling the roster."

While it's a concise statement, it is a microcosm of Ballard's shaky abilities to put together a competent roster.

Indianapolis Colts General Manager Chris Ballard speaks to the press in a pre-draft press conference Monday, April 21, 2025 at the Colts headquarters, the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center. | Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ballard has drafted excellent players like Jonathan Taylor and Michael Pittman Jr. to pair with the aforementioned names. He's also executed franchise-supporting trades for stars like DeForest Buckner and Sauce Gardner.

Regardless of these moves, Ballard hasn't been able to put together a winning team post-Luck retirement.

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Through his gargantuan nine-year existence with Indianapolis, Ballard has put together one of the most underwhelming resumes you'll see from a general manager.

• 70-78-1 record
• 47 win percentage
• 2 playoff trips
• 1 playoff win
• 0 AFC South titles
• 8-day one starting quarterbacks

When examining these facts, it makes one wonder why late owner Jim Irsay and Carlie Irsay-Gordon have decided to keep Ballard in his position.

Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard speaks to the media during the 2025 NFL draft. | Clark Wade/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Whether it's botching the quarterback solution with Anthony Richardson Sr., his teams failing to win games when they matter most, or ridiculous amounts of injuries, Ballard looks like a general manager who can't get to the playoffs without a superstar QB like Luck.

2025 looked to be Ballard's year. Indianapolis had Jones as their day-one starter and started systematically destroying teams to become the NFL's best squad. The 8-2 record looked like the mark of a Super Bowl team.

However, the Colts would fail to win a single game for the rest of the year. While Jones falling to a season-ending Achilles injury was a massive letdown, it still doesn't excuse Ballard from the years before.

Now, heading into an unprecedented 10th year as the general manager, CEO Irsay-Gordon has made it clear about the expectations for him and head coach Shane Steichen for the 2026 campaign.

"The sense of urgency for them to deliver and perform has never been higher."

#Colts owner & CEO Carlie Irsay-Gordon sends a strong message to general manager Chris Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen:

"We have been very clear with Chris and Shane... the sense of urgency for them to deliver and perform has never been higher." pic.twitter.com/oUCAPpmVuX

— WISH-TV News (@WISHNews8) January 5, 2026

It won't be easy to replicate what Indianapolis did through their first 10 games of 2025, and on top of that, the Colts have no first-round pick in this year's draft following the Gardner trade with the New York Jets.

Luckily, Indianapolis has the same offensive talents they had in 2025, assuming they re-sign quarterback Jones and wide receiver Alec Pierce in free agency.

Everything is riding on this season for Ballard. No longer can he lean on the Luck argument, especially after such a promising start in 2025, only to fall apart as multiple seasons have under his leadership.

If Ballard had any tricks up his sleeve to get this team a divisional championship and a playoff victory, now is the time to pull those out.