Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen received four third-place votes for NFL Coach of the Year in his first season as head coach in 2023. One year later, the Colts coach and well-regarded offensive mind now seemingly finds himself on the hot seat.
Steichen, age 39, was viewed as one of the best up-and-coming NFL coaches entering 2024 Viewed as one of the best play-callers and offensive architects when he served as the Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator in 2022. He then exceeded expectations in his first season as the Colts’ coach.
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- Shane Steichen coaching record: 16-17 as the Indianapolis Colts head coach
Indianapolis won 9 games in Steichen’s first year, narrowly missing the playoffs. Despite losing quarterback Anthony Richardson to a season-ending injury, the Colts still finish 10th in scoring offense and 15th in total yardage with quarterback Gardner Minshew.
However, Indianapolis took a significant step back offensively this season. Entering Week 18, the Colts offense ranked 17th in scoring (21.9), 16th in third-down conversion rate (38.2 percent) and 19th in red-zone touchdown rate (55.1 percent). Of far greater concern for the franchise, Richardson finished as one of the worst starting quarterbacks in the NFL thanks to a league-worst completion rate (47.7 percent) and QB rating (61.6).
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However, Steichen still wasn’t necessarily viewed as being on the hot seat entering the middle of December. All of that changed when double-digit losses to the Denver Broncos and then the New York Giants knocked the team out of playoff contention. Now, amid ongoing debate over Steichen’s future, there’s some insight into what way the organization is leaning.
Senior NFL reporter Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported on Friday’s Scoop City podcast that based on conversations around the league she “doesn’t get the sense” the Colts will fire Steichen after Week 18.
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The fate of Colts general manager Chris Ballard is less clear. One of the longest-tenured general managers in the NFL, Indianapolis has missed the playoffs in four consecutive seasons and it has just one playoff appearance since Andrew Luck abruptly retired in 2019.
While Steichen might survive this offseason, it does appear the same can’t be said for Ballard. It’s also possible that Colts owner Jim Irsay forces Steichen to make changes to the Colts coaching staff, which could include replacing defensive coordinator Gus Bradley.
