Colts GM Chris Ballard Refuses to Discuss Extension: ‘We Need to Win’

Chris Ballard is entering the final year of his contract as general manager of the Indianapolis Colts, and he doesn’t want to talk about a new one. Not now. Not until the team starts winning again.

Ballard made that clear Tuesday during a media session ahead of training camp. When asked if he expected a contract extension, his answer was blunt. Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team posted the exchange on X (formerly Twitter).

“No, I wouldn’t do one. I’m in the last year of my deal. We need to win.”

That’s it. No hedging. No pleasantries about focusing on the season. Ballard essentially told everyone that job security isn’t on his mind. Winning is.

Seven Years, Mixed Results

Ballard took over as GM in 2017. Since then, the Colts have gone 70-78-1 in the regular season. That’s not great. They made the playoffs twice — once in 2018 when they reached the Divisional Round, and again in 2020 when they went 11-5 but lost in the Wild Card round. Their postseason record is 1-2.

The last five years have been worse. Indianapolis hasn’t sniffed the playoffs since that 2020 loss. Last season was particularly painful: the Colts started 8-2, then collapsed to finish 8-9. That kind of fade gets a GM’s seat hot, even if the owner isn’t saying much publicly.

Pressure Piles On

Ballard’s comments reflect real pressure. He’s not asking for a raise or a vote of confidence. He’s basically saying the results have to come this year or there’s no point in sticking around. It’s an honest read of the situation, maybe even a refreshing one. Most execs in his spot would try to spin the question or deflect. Ballard just said the quiet part out loud.

The Colts open training camp Wednesday. They’ll do it with a roster that has some talent but a whole lot of questions, especially at quarterback. The division isn’t getting any easier either. Houston won the AFC South last year, and Jacksonville has been spending money like it’s going out of style.

Ballard has drafted well in spots and made some smart trades over the years. But the bottom line is the bottom line. The Colts haven’t won a playoff game since January 2019. That’s a long time. And Ballard just told everyone he won’t be sticking around to fix it if they don’t start winning now.