The Indianapolis Colts flew under the radar in 2024, hoping to sneak into the AFC playoff picture. Entering Week 17, they were right there alongside the Cincinnati Bengals and the Miami Dolphins in the hunt for the final seed. Despite lacking the star power of their playoff-hopeful counterparts, a key 38-30 win over the Tennessee Titans kept the Colts alive
However, another Anthony Richardson absence, followed by an embarrassing 45-33 loss at the hands of the woeful New York Giants, raised several questions as Indianapolis was eliminated. The collective frustration may cost head coach Shane Steichen his job.
Will Shane Steichen Be the Next Fired Head Coach?
The coaching carousel of the NFL looms each offseason. Every year, multiple coaches enter the season on the hot seat and even fall under the axe midseason. This year, Dennis Allen, Matt Eberflus, and Robert Saleh have already been relieved of their duties. Steichen might be next in line.
While he has done a solid job in less-than-ideal circumstances with the Colts (16-17 across two seasons), the past week might have been too much for management to overlook.
Deciding not to push Richardson (who didn’t practice with foot and back injuries) drew some flak. While Richardson wasn’t healthy enough to get the green light, Steichen’s comments about his status drew earned him more criticism.
My two cents:
I don’t think #Colts HC Shane Steichen did QB Anthony Richardson any favors, at least optics-wise, by simply saying AR was “really sore” this week.
It’s obviously more than that for AR to miss a full week of practice, but again, the messaging falls flat. https://t.co/KzB0H9OexB
— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) December 28, 2024
The game itself might have been the final straw. A Giants team averaging under 15 points per game and starting its backup quarterback (Drew Lock) exploded for 45 points against Indianapolis. Despite needing a win to stave off elimination, the Colts were decimated by a team with an eye on the No. 1 pick.
Steichen had to acknowledge how terrible the loss was for the team.
“It was as disappointing as it gets as the leader of a football team, shoot, I always say I’ve got to be better, we’ve all got to be better,” he said. “That’s a group effort, everyone’s got a chip in and do their part, so stuff like that doesn’t happen.”
With fans disappointed, management may be forced to send Steichen to the open market. When pressed about his job security, Steichen was brief.
“I control what I can control.”
It remains to be seen if Indianapolis parts ways with its head coach. In the meantime, the Colts will take on the woeful Jacksonville Jaguars in what might be Steichen’s final game. It won’t have playoff implications, but for Steichen’s sake, Indianapolis must remain diligent.
“I know it’s a tough situation, obviously, when you’re out of the playoff hunt, but again, I told [the team] we’ve got to be professional about it,” the head coach said. “That’s the biggest thing. We’ve got to show up and do our job still with one week left.”