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Huffman Sports Wire — Breaking News Monday, October 19, 2026
Colts Fire General Manager Chris Ballard After Home Loss to Winless Titans
The Indianapolis Colts relieved general manager Chris Ballard of his duties on Monday, October 19, ending a run in charge of the roster that began in 2017. Owner and chief executive Carlie Irsay-Gordon announced the move in a team statement and framed it as a leadership change the franchise needed in order to compete for championships. The team said the timing was deliberate, with the search for the next general manager starting during the season instead of waiting for the offseason.
The final result came on Sunday, when Indianapolis lost 26-20 at home to the Tennessee Titans. Tennessee entered that game without a win, and the defeat dropped the Colts to 2-4 this season. Indianapolis now begins a general manager search six games into the schedule, with the team saying its goals for the rest of the season have not changed.
Ballard leaves with a 72-82-1 record across his tenure in Indianapolis. The Colts reached the playoffs twice under Ballard and have not returned to the postseason since the 2020 season. Indianapolis also never won an AFC South title during his time in charge, and the long wait for another division crown became a central part of the case against keeping him.
The search for a franchise quarterback shaped much of the Ballard era after Andrew Luck retired before the 2019 season. Indianapolis cycled through options at the position for years without finding a lasting answer, and that instability followed the franchise through season after season of middling results. A tenure that opened with a playoff win in the 2018 season instead settled into a pattern of near misses and late-season fades.
Indianapolis said it will conduct a thorough search for its next general manager and take the time needed to choose the right leader for the organization. The announcement covered only the general manager position, and Ballard departs in his 10th season with the club. The next hire will inherit a 2-4 team and a roster that has gone five completed seasons without a playoff appearance.
Sources: - [Indianapolis Colts](https://www.colts.com/news/colts-relieve-general-manager-chris-ballard-of-his-duties) - [USA TODAY](https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/colts/2026/10/19/colts-fire-gm-coach-shane-steichen-chris-ballard/92321319007/) - [Indianapolis Star](https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/nfl/colts/2026/10/19/chris-ballard-fired-as-colts-gm-after-10-years-due-to-failures-at-qb-pass-rush/92326188007/) - [New York Post](https://nypost.com/2026/10/19/sports/colts-fire-gm-chris-ballard-after-humiliating-loss/)