Colts dismiss general manager Chris Ballard following loss to Titans
The Indianapolis Colts fired general manager Chris Ballard on Monday after a loss to the previously winless Tennessee Titans. Owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon said the team's standard is to compete for championships and that a leadership change was necessary. Ballard had been with the Colts since 2017, compiling a 72-82-1 regular-season record and making the playoffs twice.
Indianapolis dismissed Chris Ballard as general manager one day after a defeat to Tennessee, which had not won a game this season. The loss left the Colts at 2-4, trailing Jacksonville by two games in the division. Owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon said the franchise expects to contend for titles and that new leadership was needed.
Ballard joined the Colts in 2017. He had previously scouted for Chicago and worked in Kansas City as a player-personnel director and later a football-operations director. Indianapolis reached the postseason twice under him, falling in the 2018 divisional round and the 2020 wild-card round. His regular-season mark was 72-82-1, with a 1-2 playoff record. Shane Steichen remains head coach for now.
The dismissal could affect Colts players, coaches, and fans, as a new GM may reshape roster plans and organizational priorities. It may also influence the local sports community’s mood and expectations, while creating uncertainty for staff whose jobs depend on the next leadership structure. Broader NFL observers may see it as another example of how quickly teams respond to disappointing starts.