Back to the drawing board.
The curtain draws on the 2024 season for the Indianapolis Colts, as they close out with a victory against division rivals the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Truthfully the season for the Colts finished a few weeks back. This was more of an encore, that neither set of fans really wanted, to close out the year.
And even then, Indy had to subject their fanbase to a tough overtime victory over a – checks notes – four-win team.
And there you have it. A year that started with so much promise, that drifted into chaotic comedy at times before settling back down, finishes with a bit a whimper to be honest.
We are now two years into the head coach Shane Steichen and quarterback Anthony Richardson era.
Coach Steichen is .500 through his two years, and missed the playoffs in both. Not necessarily a record of a team that has aspirations to be competing for championships again.
As for quarterback Richardson, questions remain. Undoubtedly he is incredibly talented with huge potential. When he is on the field, he mixes the unbelievable plays with the scarcely believable in equal measure – make your own minds up if that is a good thing or not.
But simply put there is a level of inconsistency and the Colts will start the 2025 year still not certain he is ‘the guy’ or not.
Head coach and general manager stay
Overseeing this all is general manager Chris Ballard who has been with the team for a lot longer than both his head coach and quarterback.
Entering his ninth year as GM he is still awaiting his first division title. In a division that has seen every other team in it win it within that timeframe.
To save any speculation, owner Jim Irsay put a statement out shortly after the victory over the Jags, confirming that both Ballard and Steichen will return in 2025.
You could assume that quarterback Richardson will be as well, although it will be interesting to see what competition the team bring in for him.
So after a year where the team went backwards, flip-flopped on their quarterback, had key players arguing with high profile media, s**t the bed when it mattered most, and ultimately fell short of the playoffs again, have decided that they will bring back those key figures to run it back in 2025.
Back to square one then, with the only person, so far, who definitely will not be back is defensive coordinator Gus Bradley who has parted ways with the team.
So what else changes? How does this team become a winner again? Once the debrief of this year is over, then all eyes will be focused firmly on those key decision makers moving into the offseason.
For now, Colts fans can take up a position they are becoming all too familiar with – watching playoff football from the sidelines, with nothing but memories of previous good times and the hope that they will one day – soon – return.
