Why Carlie Irsay-Gordon still believes in GM Chris Ballard

After a promising 8-2 start, the Indianapolis Colts’ season was derailed by injuries. The team lost its last seven games to finish the year 8-9 and missed the playoffs for the fifth straight season. Despite the second-half collapse, the Colts will keep GM Chris Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen around in 2026.

Colts co-owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon is unhappy with how the team finished. But she believes Ballard can get Indy back on the right track. “I think what Chris knows and what Shane [Steichen] knows is that the sense of urgency this year has never been higher. Should be able to win and finish games. I think we made a lot of progress. But we’ve gotta be able to win and finish games,” Irsay-Gordon said, per The Athletic’s James Boyd.

When asked how that message differs from last season, Irsay-Gordon noted, “Well, the sense of urgency is higher than last year.”

Carlie Irsay-Gordon gives Colts sense of urgency

Irsay-Gordon took over as the Colts’ co-owner and CEO when her father Jim died in May of 2025. She inherited a team at a turning point. Irsay was not at the helm for the first time since 1997. And Steichen and Ballard were expected to be on the hot seat following back-to-back underwhelming seasons.

But Daniel Jones and Jonathan Taylor sparked a first-half surge that saw the team jump to the top of the standings. Indianapolis added Sauce Gardner in a trade with the New York Jets. And the team headed into its Week 11 bye leading the AFC South and gunning for the No. 1 seed at 8-2.

However, in Week 14 Jones tore his Achilles, ending his season. Indianapolis called on former quarterback Philip Rivers to steady the ship. Unfortunately the team never recovered and lost seven straight games to close out a massively disappointing season.

Now the Colts face serious questions heading into the 2026 campaign. The team gave up its next two first-round picks in the Gardner trade. The move will make it difficult to add a QB through the draft. And while Jones hopes to be ready for the start of the season, it’s unclear when he’ll be able to play or how effective he’ll be coming off the injury.

Ballard will enter his 10th season as GM in 2026. He has one playoff win and two appearances in his nine years with the team.

The post Why Carlie Irsay-Gordon still believes in GM Chris Ballard appeared first on ClutchPoints.