Colts GM Chris Ballard defends approach amid mixed results - ESPN

INDIANAPOLIS — As Colts general manager Chris Ballard gears up for his eighth season in Indianapolis, he took a little time Wednesday to look backward and — in the process — defend his record.

The Colts haven't won a playoff game since 2018, are 1-2 in the postseason and have an overall record of 54-60-1 during Ballard's tenure. But Ballard said he believes the Colts are on the right path, and he does not plan to deviate from his roster-building approach.

Asked whether he felt he was on the hot seat in 2024, Ballard responded: «No different than any other year.»

«The last three years not making the playoffs, it's a disappointment,» Ballard added later. «I'm not going to sit here and say it wasn't. But I still have a very strong belief in what we're doing, how we're doing it and how we're going to get there.… Either you believe in something or you believe nothing. It's easy to vacillate and go with what the world wants you to do. You either believe in something or you don't. This is what we believe.

»It gets me fired, so be it."

Ballard has famously resisted big swings in free agency, choosing instead to develop young talent. That has yielded some positive results, as the Colts have assembled a deep roster of talent comprised mostly of homegrown players.

But Ballard also has declined to addressed some areas of concern, such as the Colts' very green secondary.

«We'll continue to let these guys grow,» he said. «They don't become players without playing. I think sometimes we forget that they've got to play.»

Much of Indianapolis' success this season will depend on the development of second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson, who the Colts are hoping takes off after his return from an injury that limited him to four games as