NFL insider suggests Shane Steichen could be safe in midst of Colts dysfunctional collapse

Shane Steichen apparently isn’t on the hot seat, despite a less than promising season with the Indianapolis Colts this year. According to Dianna Russini, an NFL insider with The Athletic, she said she doesn’t believe the Colts will pull the trigger on Steichen this season. 

On a recent episode of Russini's "Scoop City" podcast with former NFL quarterback Chase Daniel, the insider said she has a sense they’re not going to make the move. Which on one hand, makes sense because it hasn’t all been bad.

But the bad was really bad for the Colts this season. There was a lack of discipline, lack of accountability and a head coach that didn’t have a grasp on the locker room. I’m sure what plays the biggest factor is that this isn’t an overly impressive coaching carousel. And it’s limited at that. 

The Colts get nothing out of making a coaching change now so in a way, I see why they aren’t rushing to force Steichen out. 

The Indianapolis Colts are in a precarious position that not even a new coach can solve

What makes the Colts situation interesting is not only what to do with Steichen, but also if general manager Chris Ballard deserves some heat as well. Owner Jim Irsay has been rather patient with Ballard, but he hasn’t really done much during his tenure. 

The quarterbacks he’s drafted have been subpar with Anthony Richardson being perhaps his biggest mistake. They’ve been to the playoffs twice since he took over as GM in 2017. They haven’t won the AFC South at all during that time. 

While Steichen (deservedly) is blamed for this season’s struggles, Ballard isn’t off the hook. Irsay has been patient with Ballard. But fans are growing frustrated. Something has to be done. 

And since GMs and coaches are closely tied to each other, if Steichen is off the chopping block for now, so is Ballard. That’s not to say if 2025 is disappointing again, both could be out. 

Steichen led the fan base to believe this season wouldn’t mean anything without a playoff appearance. That didn’t happen. Next year is certainly a playoff-or-bust situation for the Colts. Not just because they need to end a playoff drought that spans back to 2020, but because a regime change could be in order. 

If Ballard can’t put together a winning roster and Steichen can’t get results on the field, Irsay’s patience will probably wear thin. So sure, Steichen coming back next season sounds like a bad idea. But it could be the last chance he has to prove he’s the coach that can turn things around.