Certainly Not a Surprise-Pat McAfee has expressed surprise over Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay’s decision to keep general manager Chris Ballard and, to a lesser extent, head coach Shane Steichen. McAfee believes the team is heading toward another year of mediocrity in 2025. The Colts just wrapped up an 8-9 season and have missed the playoffs for the past four years. Ballard is entering his ninth season as the team’s GM, while Steichen is set for his third year as head coach…See more
Pat McAfee has expressed his surprise at Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay’s decision to keep general manager Chris Ballard and, to a lesser extent, head coach Shane Steichen. McAfee feels the team is headed for another season of mediocrity in 2025. After finishing with an 8-9 record, the Colts have missed the playoffs for four consecutive years. Ballard is entering his ninth year as general manager, while Steichen is set for his third season as head coach.
On his ESPN show Monday, McAfee said, “I believe it’s going to be hard to make the necessary changes to improve unless there’s a fresh voice and perspective.” He added that both Ballard and Steichen have been good to him, but questioned whether the individuals who have been part of the team during its struggles could fix the deeper issues. “If the building is broken, I don’t know how the same people who’ve been living in it and calling the landlord for eight years are going to fix the cracks,” McAfee remarked.
While McAfee noted that he has faced criticism online for his comments, he believes his experience within the organization during a successful period, including a Super Bowl title, gives him valuable insight into NFL culture. “There are clear trends in how people operate in winning and losing organizations,” he said, adding that it seems the Colts have been caught in a cycle of losing.
Former Colts safety Darius Butler, McAfee’s co-host, mentioned the strong fan reaction to the news. He noted that most responses were negative, with fans expressing frustration about the continuity of leadership and coaching. “As a Colts fan, all I can do is stay optimistic and hopeful that they figure things out,” Butler said.
McAfee acknowledged that Ballard faced significant challenges when quarterback Andrew Luck retired in 2019, but he criticized the team’s repeated failure to find a long-term solution at quarterback since then.
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