Colts Fire General Manager In First Major Leadership Move Of Nfl Season

Indianapolis Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon promised changes to her team's leadership structure if results were not different after back-to-back 8-9 seasons.

That has now happened six games into the 2026 campaign, as general manager Chris Ballard was fired Monday, Oct. 19.

"Our standard is to compete for championships," Irsay-Gordon said in a statement announcing the move, "and I believe a change in leadership is necessary to meet that standard."

The final straw for the regime was a 26-20 home loss to the previously winless Tennessee Titans. The defeat dropped the Colts to 2-4.

What Carlie Irsay-Gordon said about firing Chris Ballard

Irsay-Gordon said making the decision during the season was deliberate.

“Waiting would only delay the important work that begins now,” she wrote in a statement shared by the team.

Irsay-Gordon added: “I also want to be clear: this decision does not change our goals for the season. We have a lot of football in front of us, and I expect to compete, improve and win football games.”

Ballard had been the general manager since 2017 and was dealt the sudden retirement of Andrew Luck before the 2019 season. The team made a pair of playoff appearances during his tenure but had not returned to the postseason since 2020.

The Colts started 8-2 in 2025 but lost their final seven games of the year to finish below .500. A late-season injury to quarterback Daniel Jones, who tore his Achilles, was a low point of the losing streak as their playoff chances dissipated.

The Colts entered Week 6 with the 23rd-ranked passing offense in the league. The team's defense, in coordinator Lou Anarumo's scheme for a second season, was the true downfall of the team, however, and entered Week 6 ranked 27th. Indianapolis finished 72-82-1 during Ballard’s tenure.

The Colts held the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 draft and used it on Anthony Richardson, seen as a developmental project at the next level after showing raw talent at Florida. Injuries and inconsistencies were factors in Richardson never panning out and, at times, led to him being the team’s third-string quarterback in recent campaigns.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Colts fire general manager in first major leadership move of NFL season