Colts Fire GM Chris Ballard

“I am grateful to Chris for his years of service to the Colts and for everything he poured into this organization,” a statement from owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon reads in part. “He cared deeply about our team and our community, and we wish Chris and his family all the best.

“As I said at the start of the season, the sense of urgency has never been higher. Our standard is to compete for championships, and I believe a change in leadership is necessary to meet that standard.”

This marks an end to Ballard’s tenure, which began in 2017. Overall, the Colts posted a record of 72-82-1 in the regular season over that span, reaching the playoffs twice. Ballard’s teams recorded a postseason victory only once, in 2018. Indianapolis is currently 2-4, meaning a sixth straight season out of the playoffs is a distinct possibility.

Ballard informed Irsay-Gordon it would be best for all involved for this move to made, Josina Anderson of The Exhibit reports. In-season general manager firings are not common around the NFL, although this one does not come as a surprise. Irsay-Gordon – who is in her second season overseeing the franchise after the passing of her father Jim Irsay – made it clear this past offseason that 2026 would be a make-or-break year with respect to potential organizational changes.

Entering 2026 in a lame duck situation, Ballard said in July he would not be working out another Colts extension. Questions about his future gained steam through the early portion of the season. With things not going according to plan, the expectation emerged last month that Ballard would be replaced no later than the end of the season. One day after a home loss to the previously winless Titans, his run has indeed ended well before that point.

Of course, it is notable that the Colts have made this move with time to spare before the trade deadline. Ballard’s interim replacement will no doubt receive plenty of calls from interested teams looking to add a rental. The list of pending Colts free agents includes the likes of guard Quenton Nelson (who has not made progress in recent extension talks) along with veteran defensive linemen DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart.

Through much of his tenure, Ballard tended to retain homegrown players. That approach shifted in recent years, with a number of big-ticket free agent deals being worked out. Midway through the 2025 season, he parted with a pair of first-round picks to acquire cornerback Sauce Gardner. That move will leave Indianapolis short on premium draft capital in the short term as the team begins a new chapter in the front office.

After the 2018 season, quarterback Andrew Luck unexpectedly retired. Ballard’s efforts to replace him included moves made via trade, free agency and the draft. None of those routes produced a long-term solution under center, although stability appeared to be in place when Daniel Jones inked a two-year deal this past spring. The 2025 signing received the transition tag before agreeing to a pact worth $88MM on the hopes he would regain his pre-injury Colts form in 2026 and beyond.

Jones and the offense have struggled so far this season, and Indianapolis has lost 11 games since the team’s bye week in 2025. With no turnaround in sight, a new voice will be in place at the management level. The status of head coach Shane Steichen is not in doubt right now, but his future will no doubt be a talking point as well if the Colts are unable to rebound.