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Pat McAfee Candidly Reacts to Colts Retaining Shane Steichen, Chris Ballard

McAfee remains skeptical of the team's leadership going forward.

Eva Geitheim

Pat McAfee talks on the set of ESPN College GameDay
Pat McAfee talks on the set of ESPN College GameDay / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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Following the Indianapolis Colts' win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, Colts owner Jim Irsay released a statement to announce the team would be retaining both general manager Chris Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen.

The Colts failed to make for the playoff for the fourth straight season, and in Steichen's second season as head coach, but will bring back Ballard and Steichen for another run in 2025.

Former Colts punter Pat McAfee, whose suite was empty at Lucas Oil Stadium for Indy's season finale on Sunday, shared his thoughts on Irsay's decision on show Monday.

McAfee understands that it wasn't easy for Ballard, who became the team's general manager in 2017, early on. The Colts struggled to find a franchise quarterback after Andrew Luck's sudden retirement, and cycled through veteran quarterbacks like Matt Ryan, Phillip Rivers, and Carson Wentz. Like many fans though, McAfee is tired of seeing this team outside of contention, and is pessimistic they will be able to become true players in the NFL with the same regime coming back.

"You would think eight years in though, at some point we would be able to get going," McAfee said. "... All of it is a situation where I believe it's going to be tough to change the things you need to get changed to be good, unless there was a new voice, a new face, somebody saying we don't do it like that anymore."

Over Steichen's two seasons as head coach, the Colts are an even 17-17. Just good enough to almost make the playoffs or be in the conversation, but not strong enough to truly contend for a Super Bowl or even their division at this point.

"That building is seemingly broken and I don't know how the people that have been living it ... are going to be the ones are going to be able to see all that and fix the cracks," McAfee said. "... I think we're in for another year of mediocrity potentially."

McAfee previously shared his disappointment last week when the Colts were eliminated from postseason contention because of a loss to the New York Giants. He did not hold back in a lengthy rant he posted to X, calling out several of the franchise's problems this season.

McAfee's criticism continued on his show in another NSFW rant. “I wish we could transfer portal the whole f–-ing team,” McAfee said. “We need like 70 guys to hit the portal, we can’t do it in the NFL, I guess. Just in case I ever wanted to pitch myself as the president of the Indianapolis Colts, not that I ever would. I’d put a plan together, ‘How do you get rid of this entire f---ing roster?'”

Steichen did respond to some of McAfee's criticisms during the week leading up to the regular season finale. “I think with any team, not everyone’s gonna be on time every time. But there is accountability and guys are held to a standard. And that is talked about in-house,” Steichen told reporters. “I think Pat, he’s a former alumni that wants to see the Colts do well. Just like all our fans want us to do well. And when the standard isn’t, you know, not getting in the playoffs, it’s frustrating. It’s frustrating for a lot of people, myself included. And that’s why we talk about the standard is being raised so we’re not in these situations.”

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Eva Geitheim
EVA GEITHEIM

Eva Geitheim is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in December 2024, she wrote for Newsweek, Gymnastics Now and Dodgers Nation. A Bay Area native, she has a bachelor's in communications from UCLA. When not writing, she can be found baking or re-watching Gilmore Girls.

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