Colts G.M. Chris Ballard says he wouldn’t agree to extension with team before season
Colts General Manager Chris Ballard is in the last year of his contract.
From his comments in his Tuesday press conference, he knows it could be his final season with the team.
The Colts have not made the postseason since 2020 — which was quarterback Philip Rivers’ first one-year stint with the team. Indianapolis has just one postseason victory in Ballard’s tenure, which came all the way back in 2018.
When asked on Tuesday if he’s expecting a contract extension before the season, Ballard candidly answered, “No. I wouldn’t do one.”
Why not?
“I’m in the last year of my deal,” Ballard said. “We need to win.”
But Ballard said his status will not “at all” affect how he approaches potential extensions for players.
“I think I will always — and y’all all know me well enough — I’m always going to do the best thing for the organization,” Ballard said. “Ultimately, that’s my job. Anytime you do selfish, alternative, ulterior motive in play — that’s not good for the game, it’s not good for the organization. We will always do what’s best for this club. I have too much respect for the Colts, I have too much respect for what Mr. Irsay stood for as an owner, too much respect for the girls — for Carlie [Irsay-Gordon], Casey [Foyt], and Kalen [Jackson] — as they start their venture as owners into this thing. No, we’ll always do the right thing.”
Ballard was also asked about how much pressure he feels going into the 2026 season. His answer was reflective, expressing plenty of gratitude.
“[T]his is my 26th year in the league,” Ballard said. “And as a kid, if you would’ve told me, I’d be able to work in football and do this for a career, I would’ve signed up 100 times over. OK? The journey’s different for everybody. I’m just a steward in this position. I’ve always believed that. And I’ll always do the best thing for the organization — both short and long-term. That’s just how I tick and how I roll. I’m grateful that I’ve always had a job in this league that I have great respect for and that will never change. Like, the fun to me is the journey — that’s the fun part. Even the hard moments, they’re not — compared to what other people have to go through, they’re not really that … hard. They’re judged, rightfully so — we’re in the public eye, and we should be judged. But I get to do football every day, and I never take that for granted.
“So, in terms of the pressure, nobody puts more pressure on me than myself to succeed. But like if I’ve learned anything over the years, sometimes you’ve got to enjoy all of it — the good and the bad. That’s the fun part of this, going through things that are not always easy with people that you care about and respect. Man, not everybody gets to do that in life. I’ve been very fortunate.”