The Indianapolis Colts General Manager, Chris Ballard Held Another Year-End Press Conference That Left Many With Questions.

Chris Ballard conducted a year-end press conference for the fourth consecutive season after his club failed to make the playoffs. For the fourth consecutive season, Ballard leaves a regular season with Colts fans calling for his firing. This season, however, the uproar has reached an all-time high. Ballard’s record in Indianapolis is 62-29-1, and his lack of success likely justified the Colts taking a fresh approach.

On January 5th, Colts owner Jim Irsay announced Chris Ballard’s return in 2025. As a result, the presumption is that Ballard will not be dismissed this season, but will have one final chance to preserve his career. Unfortunately, Chris Ballard’s year-end news conference yielded little fresh information for Colts fans, but he did share some intriguing insights.

Three Takeaways from Ballard’s Year-End Press Conference

Competition Will Be Coming

One of the first questions Ballard was asked was about the quarterback position. Over the last four years, the Colts have had seven different quarterbacks start games. Some of this was due to injury, but a large portion was also due to inefficiency. Ballard emphasized at the news conference that competition would be coming. For it is a competition that produces better players.

Ballard did not say definitively whether he would bring in free agents. However, Anthony Richardson will likely have competition this offseason, whether it is Joe Flacco, Sam Ehlinger, or someone else. The evidence suggests that Richardson is still the Colts’ franchise quarterback, but he is still very young and requires time to learn and improve. Ballard stated that Richardson was benched this season because he needed to “breathe” and “take a step back”.

For the first time in his NFL career, Richardson will have the whole offseason to prepare to play rather than just recuperating. On this point, Ballard stated that Richardson needs to get healthy and prove that he can play 17 games. He has proven to be prone to injury over the course of two seasons. As a result, the Colts will require a lifeline that can save their season if necessary. Ballard made no mention of who, how old, or how experienced the possible competitors would be. Nonetheless, competition is on the horizon.

Accountability Will Be Happening

Another key point raised by Ballard at his press conference was the need for increased accountability. Throughout the franchise’s existence, the Colts have been a solid organization that values accountability and character. Something happened this season, however, and responsibility appears to have been lost.

Ballard brought up something significant that DeForest Buckner said about the Colts organization. When questioned about the team’s defense, Buckner replied that the problem was “ego”. He stated, “Everyone needs to check their ego at the door…”At times, I felt like there was just a group of people out there playing football.” Buckner and Ballard both refused to identify themselves. The message, however, was clear: this team’s locker room culture needs to change. The culture shift begins with Ballard, who hires men who match the culture and believe in what the Colts company stands for.

There is no hint that substantial cuts or releases will occur this summer. However, it is expected that players who prioritize their ego over the club may come under fire this offseason.

This Should Be Ballard’s Make or Break Year

Ballard is expected to start his ninth season with the Indianapolis Colts. By all accounts, this year will be his make-or-break year. If the Colts miss the playoffs for a fifth straight season, Ballard’s tenure with Indy will be done. Therefore, if he wants to save his career and outlook with the fans, he must, not only get this team to the playoffs but win in the playoffs. This is certainly a tall order for Ballard, given his current personnel situation. Nonetheless, the Colts are 18th in cap space in the NFL right now with over $38M. Therefore, they have the resources to bring talent into the building. They also have a lot of potential with their young playmakers like Alec Pierce, Adonai Mitchell, Josh Downs, and Laiatu Latu.