Chris Ballard from the Indianapolis Colts sat down for a press conference with the media on Wednesday. While he has always chosen his words carefully, he is not one to compromise his beliefs anytime soon. Ballard believes what he believes and builds a team the way he thinks is best. It starts in the trenches and goes from there. Love it or hate it, that’s Ballard. GMs are measured by success, however, and that was evident during his time with the media.
There hasn’t been much measurable success during his tenure. The Colts have yet to win an AFC South title and have only won one postseason game. While Ballard would like more, he’s not ready to change. ESPN’s Stephen Holder summed up Ballard’s sentiment when asked if he felt his seat was getting hot.
“It’s a disappointment that we haven’t made the playoffs the last three years,” Ballard added later. “I’m not going to sit here and say it wasn’t. But I still believe strongly in what we do, how we do it and how we get there. … You either believe in something or you don’t believe in anything. It’s easy to waver and do what the world wants you to do. You either believe in something or you don’t. That’s what we believe in.”
Ballard then made his point emphatically clear.
I asked #Colts GM Chris Ballard explains why people should believe he is the right man for the job after compiling a 54-60-1 record in his first seven seasons.
He says he will always believe in himself and feels that the team believes in him too.
“If I get fired because of this, then so be it.”
— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) 28 August 2024
That doesn’t sound like a man who is afraid. That doesn’t sound like a man who will change. That doesn’t sound like a man who will convince his critics. On the one hand, it’s admirable to stick to your beliefs. On the other hand, it’s positive to recognize that you were wrong and adjust to the situation. Ballard has had plenty of time to adjust and has refused to do so in many places. I can’t say I like that. I also can’t say it won’t cost him his job.
It sounds like he’s made peace with that possible outcome and won’t have trouble sleeping at night. That’s good for Ballard, but maybe not so good for the Colts. It’s been seven years of failure, and the drought could continue with that attitude. If Ballard is relieved of his duties, Colts fans will be paying the price for years to come.
Chris Ballard is ready to go down with the ship. I’m not saying he’s intentionally heading for the cliff, but unless we see otherwise, that’s where he’s going to end up. His roster-building style is old-fashioned, but the NFL is new-age. It hasn’t kept up with a changing league. It’s OK to stick to your views, but your approach should work better. If not, there will be a GM opening with the Colts before long. The problem is, it doesn’t sound like Ballard is very worried about it.
