Colts’ Loyalty Looks Risky in Relentless AFC

The NFL offseason has already seen an unprecedented wave of head coach firings, and two of the teams involved were AFC franchises that still made the playoffs. In this coaching cycle, ten NFL teams have parted ways with their head coaches, but the Indianapolis Colts have decided to keep their head coach and general manager for another season.

The Colts finished 8-9 for the second year in a row, ending this 2025 season on a seven-game losing streak to finalize a one-of-a-kind collapse. For most organizations, that would be enough to clean house. For the Colts, it's just another year in the books.

In a league where performance is essentially the currency for job security, the Colts’ leadership duo has survived while peers have paid the ultimate price for failing to win when it matters most. Teams across the league have demonstrated they aren’t afraid to make bold staffing moves, even if it means moving on from beloved or long-tenured staffers.

The Colts' Patience is Showing the League They Aren't Committed to Winning Now

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: other teams expect more immediate results these days. The Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, and Pittsburgh Steelers were willing to part with proven leaders rather than extend long periods of mediocrity or playoff frustration.

The Bills, Ravens, and Steelers are all common playoff contenders. Each team had a coach who had been there for almost a decade or more, and yet they were all comfortable in moving on after continued mediocrity.