Colts' Shane Steichen Not Considered Great Head Coach

The Indianapolis Colts hired head coach Shane Steichen in 2023 after the franchise essentially fell apart at the seams in 2022 to finish 4-12-1, which included a midseason firing of Frank Reich and disastrous hire of interim coach, Jeff Saturday.

Hopes were high, and while Steichen hasn't been bad since his hiring, things haven't really gone according to plan.

Fast forward to what was a disappointing finish to the 2025 season, and it marks the third straight season Steichen hasn't made the playoffs. But, Steichen can still be considered a solid coach.

ESPN and Bill Barnwell ranked Steichen among the top half of the 37 head coaching hires in the NFL since the 2021 season. For Steichen, he finished 16th.

"Steichen has built fun, logical offenses for Jones and Richardson over the past few seasons, and the run game has revitalized Jonathan Taylor's career after the star back battled ankle issues.

Still, the former Eagles assistant has gone either 8-9 or 9-8 in each of his first three campaigns as a head coach, and that sort of consistent averageness makes him a perfect fit in the middle of this list. He has essentially been a league-average hire."

Colts head coach Shane Steichen (blue and white uniform) walks off the field following a tough loss. — Jan 4, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen on the field following the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Barnwell mentioned that Steichen has 'essentially been a league-average hire." This might be due to his 8-9, 9-8, and 8-9 finishes during his three seasons.

However, Steichen's short tenure with the Colts needs to be examined alongside the revolving door of quarterbacks he's coached. Below are the names who have played under center by year.

2023 | Anthony Richardson Sr., Gardner Minshew
2024 | Anthony Richardson Sr., Joe Flacco
2025 | Daniel Jones, Philip Rivers, Riley Leonard

In short, Steichen hasn't been able to log any real QB consistency, which is a detriment to his offensive game plan.

Sign Up For the Colts Daily Digest - OnSI’s Indianapolis Colts Newsletter

Colts head coach Shane Steichen (blue and white uniform) signals to his team from the sideline. — Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen yells from the sideline Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, during a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Colts paired Steichen's hire in 2023 with the drafting of the ultra-promising, albeit incredibly raw and inexperienced, Anthony Richardson Sr.

Initially, it looked like a beautiful pairing given that Steichen had worked with the likes of Philip Rivers, Justin Herbert, and Jalen Hurts. However, this turned into nothing short of a disaster.

Richardson hasn't stayed healthy, playing in just 15 of his 34 possible starts from 2023-2024, resulting in consistent rotation at the league's most important position.

However, 2024 was a dumpster fire for Richardson. He'd turn the ball over constantly, complete less than 50 percent of his 264 passes, and even tap out of a game against the Houston Texans because he was exhausted.

Steichen must shoulder some of the blame since he's the offensive mind and head coach, but a lot of those failures are also on the lack of discipline and leadership from Richardson on and off the field.

2025 was a far different story, as the Colts signed Daniel Jones to compete with Richardson, but the former New York Giants field general took over the stater reins and helped lead Indy to an unprecedented 8-2 start.

While Jones' season was marred by injuries, including playing on a fractured fibula and tearing his Achilles, which ended his promising year at 13 games. What this also showed is that Steichen just needs a competent QB to operate his offense effectively.

Colts head coach Shane Steichen (black and blue uniform) looks concerned after suffering a big loss at home. — Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen walks off the field Monday, Dec. 22, 2025, after losing a game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

At the end of the day, Steichen is a good coach, but at times has outsmarted himself with his play calling and execution of his own offensive game plan.

The biggest problem is that he can't seem to get a QB to stick as the starter, but we saw what his scheme can accomplish with Jones running the show.

This brings hope that, if Jones gets re-signed and can stay healthy in 2026, Indianapolis can finally make a playoff run and achieve the AFC South crown for the first time since 2014.

If the Colts can't check these boxes, Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard are likely out of the Circle City.

Recommended Articles