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Stephen Holder, ESPNAug 28, 2024, 04:50 PM ET
- Stephen joined ESPN in 2022, covering the Indianapolis Colts and NFL at large. Stephen finished first place in column writing in the 2015 Indiana Associated Press Media Editors competition, and he is a previous top-10 winner in explanatory journalism in the Associated Press Sports Editors national contest. He has chronicled the NFL since 2005, covering the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2005-2013 and the Colts since 2013. He has previously worked for the Miami Herald, Tampa Bay Times, Indianapolis Star and The Athletic.
INDIANAPOLIS — As Colts general manager Chris Ballard gears up for his eighth season in Indianapolis, he took a little time Wednesday to look backward and — in the process — defend his record.
The Colts haven’t won a playoff game since 2018, are 1-2 in the postseason and have an overall record of 54-60-1 during Ballard’s tenure. But Ballard said he believes the Colts are on the right path, and he does not plan to deviate from his roster-building approach.
Asked whether he felt he was on the hot seat in 2024, Ballard responded: “No different than any other year.”
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“The last three years not making the playoffs, it’s a disappointment,” Ballard added later. “I’m not going to sit here and say it wasn’t. But I still have a very strong belief in what we’re doing, how we’re doing it and how we’re going to get there. … Either you believe in something or you believe nothing. It’s easy to vacillate and go with what the world wants you to do. You either believe in something or you don’t. This is what we believe.
“It gets me fired, so be it.”
Ballard has famously resisted big swings in free agency, choosing instead to develop young talent. That has yielded some positive results, as the Colts have assembled a deep roster of talent comprised mostly of homegrown players.
But Ballard also has declined to addressed some areas of concern, such as the Colts’ very green secondary.
“We’ll continue to let these guys grow,” he said. “They don’t become players without playing. I think sometimes we forget that they’ve got to play.”
Much of Indianapolis’ success this season will depend on the development of second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson, who the Colts are hoping takes off after his return from an injury that limited him to four games as a rookie.
Similarly, Ballard’s tenure could ultimately be linked to Richardson’s success or failure in the long term.
This is the Colts’ best chance for quarterback longevity since 2012 No. 1 draft pick Andrew Luck’s shocking retirement two weeks before the 2019 season opener. After all the waiting for a potential solution, Ballard preached patience at quarterback.
“There’s gonna be some roller-coaster moments,” he said. “I don’t want to say all, but most quarterbacks, when they’re young, go through those moments. But learn from them, grow and keep moving forward.”
