INDIANAPOLIS – A sense of hope was evident during Chris Ballard’s pre-training camp press conference on Tuesday.
I believe we have a strong football team,” he stated as the Indianapolis Colts’ training camp officially began at the Grand Park Sports Campus. “How successful we become will become clear over time. We need to put in the work. There’s no quick fix or magic solution.
As Ballard delivered his typical State of the Franchise address, there was an unmistakable atmosphere. A sense of urgency surrounds the Colts, particularly Ballard and Anthony Richardson, heading into 2025.
No ultimatum has been issued by Carlie Irsay-Gordon or her two sisters since they assumed complete ownership of the team after their father, Jim Irsay, passed away on May 21. However, make no mistake, all those involved recognize that the past four seasons have fallen far short of expectations.
In June, Irsay-Gordon got straight to the point.
We maintain a certain level here,” she stated. “And it hasn’t met the required standards.
Four consecutive years without a playoff appearance, the first time in over 30 years. No playoff victory since 2018. No AFC South titles since 2014.
Irsay-Gordon spoke about striving to be exceptional, rather than merely average.
Ballard is aware of the high stakes involved. The four-year dry spell has a significant impact on everyone, particularly the individual responsible for constructing a championship team since 2017.
Ballard almost started a reply with a fiery curse before stopping himself halfway through the vulgar remark.
“I promise it didn’t come out,” he said with a self-conscious smile.
Then, returning to the topic at hand.
Yep, it’s tough, buddy,” he said. “This is the first time in my whole career that I’ve gone four years without making the playoffs. It’s really frustrating, especially with the high expectations we have here in Indianapolis. That’s one thing we always liked about Jim. He didn’t want to be just average. He wanted to be outstanding.
Like father, like daughters.
Carlie and I spend a lot of time together since she is always around,” Ballard said. “She’ll always tell you, ‘Look, I don’t want to be good. I want to be great.’ That’s always the objective when we start.
The clock is ticking.
One day,” Ballard said. “They’re going to have a new general manager. That’s part of our league. I’m not sure when that will occur, but I don’t spend time thinking… about it.
External criticism is part of the role.
I don’t know if you all realize how much pressure we put on ourselves,” Ballard said. “It’s much tougher than you think. If I go into something concerned about the result and it turning out badly, that’s not a way to live, man. I come to work each day and strive to be the best representative I can be for this organization and this city.
It’s not exaggeration to say that the current situation of the Colts—and Ballard and many others—depends on the ongoing contest between Richardson and Daniel Jones.
We would contend it revolves around whether Richardson can ultimately meet the expectations that accompanied him into the NFL as the No. 4 pick in the 2023 draft.
I believe we’ve accomplished some positive things with the team,” Ballard said. “However, in the end, the one position we’re all aware of, we need to get the quarterback established.
A small piece of interesting facts. Since 1997, only one quarterback, other than Peyton Manning or Andrew Luck, has led the Colts to the playoffs: Philip Rivers in 2020.
That role is so crucial to the overall performance of your team when you’ve got… that position secured,” Ballard said. “He’s one of 53, and it’s not all about him, but he’s a key player.
Maybe Jones’ new beginning with the Colts thrives in the same way as Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, or Geno Smith did.
However, the Colts seem not to be ready to move on from Richardson. There is too much untapped, varied talent. There is too much promise. The potential is too great.
The opposing view: Richardson has struggled to remain on the field. He has sat out 17 of 34 games due to four major injuries: a concussion, a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder, and issues with his oblique and back.
Then there are the remarkable highs and lows during games. There have been numerous standout moments, but Richardson only managed to complete 47.7% of his passes in 11 starts last year, the worst in the NFL and the lowest single-season total in team history.
Ballard slowly moved his head from side to side.
Occasionally, you need to exercise a bit of patience with someone and let them develop through experiences. There has to be… ‘No, he can’t do it,’” he said. “But if you believe, ‘Hey, he’s on the right path,’ why would you discard him just because others think you should? I don’t agree with that. I think Anthony deserves every opportunity to become the best he can be. I believe he has the potential to be really good, but things need to align.
Because of soreness in his right shoulder, Richardson missed the last two weeks of the Colts’ offseason activities. However, he is now “ready to go” as practice begins on Wednesday morning. Initially, the team will keep an eye on the amount of work he does.
Ballard was questioned about whether there is anything the team or Richardson can do to reduce the chances of additional injuries.
God’s plan,” he said. “I wish I could manage injuries. If we could, I would leave this and start a business doing that because you’d make a lot of money doing it. Look, sometimes things occur. Players get hurt. You hope it doesn’t happen, but it does, and you keep going regardless.
Ballard often maintained that progress is achieved through hardship.
Growth occurs when you endure a lot of (expletive),” he said. “Often, people don’t achieve success because they don’t want to go through it. Sometimes you have to go through it.
You can connect with Mike Chappell on Twitter via @mchappell51..
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