Colts fire general manager Chris Ballard after home loss to Titans
Owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon said a leadership change was necessary to meet Indianapolis's championship standard and that the search for a successor would begin during the season.
The Indianapolis Colts fired general manager Chris Ballard on Monday, October 19, 2026, a day after a home loss to the Tennessee Titans. Owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon said a leadership change was necessary for the club to meet its championship standard, ending Ballard's nearly decade-long tenure while the Colts are 2-4.
Irsay-Gordon said the decision to act during the season was deliberate: waiting, she said, would delay the work of finding the team's next general manager. She said the Colts would conduct a thorough search and take the time needed to identify a successor. No appointment was announced.
The loss that preceded Ballard's dismissal
Indianapolis gave up a 13-point halftime lead on Sunday against a Titans team that had arrived without a win, ESPN reported. Fans chanted for Ballard to be fired during the game. The firing followed the defeat, though Irsay-Gordon framed her decision around the franchise's broader standard rather than identifying that one result as its sole cause.
After the loss, coach Shane Steichen said the Colts had to give supporters something to cheer about and did not blame them for booing, according to ESPN. Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner also voiced frustration: ‘I'm sick and tired of the same song and dance every year,’ he said, as quoted by ESPN.
Ballard's record and the Colts' next step
Ballard was in the final year of his contract. Indianapolis went 72-82-1 during his tenure, reaching the playoffs twice and winning one postseason game, ESPN reported. The Colts never won the AFC South under him and entered this season with a five-year playoff drought.
The pressure had been building before Sunday's game. Indianapolis started the 2025 season 8-2 but lost seven straight games and finished with a losing record, ESPN reported. That collapse had prompted Irsay-Gordon and her sisters to consider broad changes; Ballard nonetheless remained in charge entering this season.
Irsay-Gordon said the change would not alter the team's goals for the rest of the season. She expects the Colts to compete, improve and win games as the search proceeds. The Indianapolis Star reported that the franchise plans to begin looking for its next general manager soon and discussed possible candidates; its list does not represent a team selection.
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Sources and context
- Colts fire GM Chris Ballard after home loss to Titans, cite 'necessary' changeESPN
- 28 candidates to be the Colts next general manager after Chris Ballard was firedThe Indianapolis Star (IndyStar), hosted by Yahoo Sports
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.