Leadership and Coordinators
- Owner: Carlie Irsay-Gordon Owner and Chief Executive Officer Irsay-Gordon has retained the Ballard–Steichen structure for 2026. Her central question is whether continuity can produce a full season instead of another promising start followed by disappointment.
- Decision Maker: Chris Ballard — General Manager Ballard remains responsible for the roster and enters a consequential season after Indianapolis missed the playoffs for a fifth straight year. He preserved the offense’s core while making the defense younger and faster.
- Head Coach: Shane Steichen Steichen’s offense operated at a high level for much of 2025, but the Colts lost their final seven games after an 8–2 start. Managing the quarterback situation and preventing another late collapse will define his fourth season.
- Offensive Coordinator: Jim Bob Cooter Cooter works with Steichen to build around Jonathan Taylor, Daniel Jones, Tyler Warren and a vertical passing game. The offense’s ceiling is high when protection and quarterback health cooperate.
- Defensive Coordinator: Lou Anarumo Anarumo enters his second year with a younger linebacker group and greater secondary flexibility. His challenge is creating more consistent pass defense without sacrificing the unit’s stout work against the run.
- Special Teams Coordinator: Brian Mason Mason oversees a unit that must replace several core coverage contributors. Kicker Blake Grupe returns, but the surrounding personnel has changed.
2025 Season Recap
Few seasons changed direction as violently as Indianapolis’ 2025 campaign. The Colts opened 8–2 and looked capable of winning the AFC South. Their offense was efficient, their quarterback decision appeared vindicated and the team had developed a clear identity around Jonathan Taylor. Then injuries, defensive attrition and a run of close losses swallowed the season. Indianapolis lost its final seven games, finished 8–9 and missed the playoffs for the fifth consecutive year.
Before the collapse, Daniel Jones was one of the league’s best comeback stories. He played decisive football in Shane Steichen’s offense, used his mobility to extend drives and distributed the ball to a balanced group of targets. Jones’ willingness to attack downfield paired particularly well with Alec Pierce, while rookie tight end Tyler Warren immediately became a central piece of the passing game. The Colts could stress a defense vertically, horizontally and through play action because Taylor demanded extra bodies near the line of scrimmage.
Taylor was the offense’s stabilizer throughout the year. He punished light boxes, created explosive gains and allowed Indianapolis to control the pace when playing from ahead. Warren’s arrival gave the offense another dimension. The first-round rookie established franchise rookie receiving records for a tight end and demonstrated the route versatility to line up throughout the formation. Josh Downs remained a valuable separator underneath, and Pierce supplied the vertical element that turned defensive hesitation into chunk plays.
The overall production was strong. Indianapolis scored 466 points, more than either Jacksonville or Houston, and ranked among the NFL’s better offenses in scoring, yards per game and points per drive. Those numbers make the final record more frustrating. The Colts had constructed an attack good enough to reach January, but it could not remain whole long enough to finish the job.
Jones played through a fractured fibula before suffering a torn Achilles, an injury that destabilized the most important position during the season’s decisive stretch. Indianapolis cycled through emergency answers, including rookie Riley Leonard and a remarkable late return by Philip Rivers. The offense could still create occasional sparks, but it no longer operated with the timing and full playbook that had fueled the 8–2 start. Opponents could load up against Taylor, challenge protection and force backup quarterbacks to sustain drives.
The defense also wore down. Indianapolis allowed 412 points and struggled to prevent explosive passes once injuries accumulated in the secondary. DeForest Buckner, Sauce Gardner and Charvarius Ward all dealt with absences that altered the unit’s structure. The Colts remained difficult to run against, allowing roughly 102 rushing yards per game and fewer than four yards per carry, and they produced takeaways in 15 games. Yet the pass defense could not consistently close games once the offense lost its early-season margin for error.
The AFC South offered no relief. Jacksonville surged to 13 wins, Houston closed the regular season on a nine-game winning streak and Indianapolis went 2–4 inside the division. The Colts were not eliminated because of one upset or one bad bounce; they were overtaken by two teams playing their best football while Indianapolis was trying to survive a weekly injury and quarterback crisis.
That context explains why the organization chose targeted continuity rather than a complete reset. Jones and Pierce returned, and Taylor, Warren and the offensive line still form a credible scoring foundation. Ballard and Anarumo turned over the middle of the defense, moving on from established starters and drafting CJ Allen and A.J. Haulcy to add speed and range. The 2026 Colts do not need to imagine what winning football looks like—they played it for ten weeks. Their task is to prove that the first half of 2025 represented a sustainable identity rather than a temporary peak.
2025 AFC South Standing
- 1. Jacksonville Jaguars — 13–4 (5–1 division) — Lost WC PF: 474 · PA: 336
- 2. Houston Texans — 12–5 (5–1 division) — Lost DR PF: 404 · PA: 295
- 3. Indianapolis Colts — 8–9 (2–4 division) — Missed Playoffs PF: 466 · PA: 412
- 4. Tennessee Titans — 3–14 (0–6 division) — Missed Playoffs PF: 284 · PA: 478
Indianapolis scored enough to contend, but its 2–4 division record became decisive as Jacksonville and Houston combined for 25 wins. The Colts’ negative 46-point differential after an 8–2 start captured how completely the final two months changed the season.
Notable 2026 Player Additions
- WR Keenan Allen Allen gives Jones an accomplished route runner who can win on option routes and critical third downs. His short-area precision complements Pierce’s vertical speed and Downs’ quickness.
- CB Cam Taylor-Britt Taylor-Britt adds size, speed and starting experience to a secondary that was depleted in 2025. Anarumo knows his strengths from their time together in Cincinnati and can deploy him in a familiar system.
- S Jonathan Owens Owens brings veteran experience, tackling and special-teams value. He helps stabilize a safety group transitioning away from Nick Cross.
- LB Akeem Davis-Gaither Davis-Gaither offers range and coverage ability at linebacker. His athleticism fits the faster second level Indianapolis made an offseason priority.
- EDGE Arden Key Key supplies an experienced passing-down rusher for a front that needs pressure beyond Laiatu Latu. His inside-out flexibility can create favorable matchups.
- DL Jerry Tillery Tillery adds length and interior rush ability to the rotation, particularly in passing situations.
Notable 2026 Player Losses
- LB Zaire Franklin Franklin’s departure removes a prolific tackler, defensive communicator and team leader. Rookie CJ Allen is being prepared to assume many of those middle-linebacker responsibilities.
- S Nick Cross Cross developed into an active, productive safety before leaving for Washington. His range and tackling must be replaced through a combination of A.J. Haulcy, Cam Bynum and Owens.
- DE Kwity Paye Paye’s power against the run and steady edge snaps leave the rotation. Indianapolis is counting on Latu’s continued ascent and a group of new rushers to offset that loss.
- OT Braden Smith Smith was a high-level right tackle when healthy. His exit places greater responsibility on Indianapolis’ younger tackle options and depth.
- DT Neville Gallimore Gallimore provided useful interior snaps in 2025. Tillery and younger linemen now have to maintain the rotation behind Buckner and Grover Stewart.
- C Danny Pinter Pinter’s ability to cover multiple interior positions made him valuable insurance. The Colts will need newer depth to provide the same game-day flexibility.
2026 Draft Class
- Round 2, Pick 53 — LB CJ Allen, Georgia A fast, instinctive MIKE linebacker with the communication skills to wear the green dot. Indianapolis expects him to develop quickly into a central piece of Anarumo’s defense.
- Round 3, Pick 78 — S A.J. Haulcy, LSU A versatile coverage safety with ball skills and the range to disguise assignments. His flexibility should help Anarumo vary pre-snap looks.
- Round 4, Pick 113 — G Jalen Farmer, Kentucky A powerful, experienced interior blocker who adds developmental depth behind the starting line and can compete for an active game-day role.
- Round 4, Pick 135 — LB Bryce Boettcher, Oregon A former walk-on and two-sport athlete whose speed, tackling and competitive style translate immediately to special teams.
- Round 5, Pick 156 — EDGE George Gumbs Jr., Florida A converted receiver with unusual length and athletic upside. He remains developmental but gives the Colts a traits-rich pass-rush project.
- Round 6, Pick 214 — EDGE Caden Curry, Ohio State A productive, high-motor defender who recorded 11 sacks in his final college season. His effort and run discipline give him a chance to earn rotational snaps early.
- Round 7, Pick 237 — RB Seth McGowan, Kentucky A compact runner with receiving ability competing for complementary work behind Taylor.
- Round 7, Pick 254 — WR Deion Burks, Oklahoma A 4.30-speed receiver and return candidate who can stretch coverage horizontally or vertically if he sharpens the details of his route running.
2026 Spotlight Watch
- Hot Seat — Shane Steichen Steichen showed that his offense can produce at a playoff level, but seven consecutive losses turned an 8–2 start into another missed postseason. He must keep the team functional through adversity and convert offensive production into a complete season.
- Breakout Watch — Tyler Warren Warren was already one of the NFL’s most productive rookie tight ends. The next step is becoming the coverage-defining centerpiece of the passing game—winning in the red zone, commanding safety attention and creating easier throws for Jones elsewhere.
- Bust Watch — Cam Taylor-Britt Taylor-Britt has the athletic profile to help immediately, but his recent tape has also included penalties, lost leverage and uneven coverage results. Familiarity with Anarumo removes the scheme excuse; he must play with greater consistency to stabilize the outside corner spot.
- Team Superstar — Jonathan Taylor Taylor remains the player opponents must solve first. His vision, contact balance and breakaway speed give Indianapolis control of games and make every play-action concept more dangerous.
Prediction
The Indianapolis Colts will be the team with the best record to miss the playoffs in 2026. The Colts record of 11-6 is not good enough to clinch a wild-card in the top-heavy AFC.
Below is the complete 2026 regular season projections.
Sources
- NFL: Final 2025 division standings
- Indianapolis Colts: How the 2025 season unraveled
- Indianapolis Colts: Shane Steichen’s 2025 season review
- Indianapolis Colts: Coaching staff
- Indianapolis Colts: Front office
- Indianapolis Colts: 2026 free agency tracker
- Indianapolis Colts: 2026 draft class
- Indianapolis Colts: Initial 2026 roster moves
