2025 could be a ‘make-or-break’ year for Colts third-year head coach Shane Steichen.
According to CBS Sports, Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen is among the league’s coaches that are currently listed on the ‘hot seat’ ahead of the 2025 season—coming in at the #4 overall heated spot:
4. Shane Steichen
Steichen is entering his third season as the Colts head coach and has gone 17-17 over his first two years at the helm. They’ve finished second in the AFC South both years, but have been on the outside looking in on the playoffs in each of those seasons.
Steichen was hired the same offseason Indy drafted then-Florida prospect Anthony Richardson at No. 4 overall. What was once thought to be the foundational piece under center has — to this point — blown up in the Colts face. Richardson has yet to endear himself to the organization and was even benched midway through last season. Now, he’s entering a summer quarterback battle with veteran free agent signee Daniel Jones.
Fair or unfair, Steichen’s fate could be tied to his quarterback production in 2025, and looking to the likes of Jones for salvation isn’t exactly the most encouraging situation to be in. If Indy has another down year, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the organization entertain a full reset.
Prediction: Fired
Similarly to Colts’ longtime general manager Chris Ballard and 3rd-year quarterback Anthony Richardson, Steichen is facing a potentially ‘make-or-break- 2025 campaign.
The young offensive minded head coach still remains a gifted play-caller, but it was the management of the Colts locker room issues—namely regarding player accountability, and handling of the media publicly that Steichen arguably took a step back this past season.
It raises the question of whether Steichen is better suited as an offensive coordinator or the “leader of men” in the locker room regarding being a bona fide NFL head coach—which many of the most important elements are public facing and require polish.
During his two-year Colts tenure, Steichen has compiled a 17-17 record (.500)—having failed to make the playoffs in back-to-back seasons.
Short of an AFC playoff berth, Steichen could find himself as a casualty next offseason—as the Colts could elect to clean house entirely, especially under new CEO Carlie Irsay-Gordon, who could be more business calculated than sentimental compared to her late father’s ownership style.
For what it’s worth, Irsay-Gordon still has confidence that Steichen can turn it around, but wouldn’t elaborate whether his Colts’ future is tied with Ballard:
#Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon: “Chris (Ballard) and Shane (Steichen) know they have things to fix.”
Says the team hasn’t been good enough, but she’s confident in their ability to turn things around.
— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) June 10, 2025
Of the three, Steichen may arguably be the least culpable for the Colts’ shortcomings over the past two seasons—having lost Richardson for 13 starts two years ago.
While I’d suggest that he didn’t do a great job of placing Richardson in a position to succeed initially this past season—not utilizing his dual-threat mobility nearly enough in his offensive play-calling, it feels like a lot of times that Indy’s re-occurring issues are ‘Jimmy and Joes’—not ‘X’s and O’s.’ Meaning it’s been more of a personnel issue—particularly regarding the inconsistent play at starting quarterback, then what’s being called and schemed from an offensive standpoint.
Steichen assuredly played a hand in the Colts selecting Richardson with the 4th overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, but the inconsistent young quarterback has to take ownership of his own erratic play to-date as well—particularly from a much needed maturity standpoint both on and off the field.
Right now, Steichen has to control what he can control, and hopefully, that means a return to the Colts’ winning ways and postseason play.
Fair or unfair, 2025 is shaping up to be a critical year for Steichen continuing to be the Colts head coach beyond just this upcoming season—with CBS Sports even ultimately predicting a firing.