Chris Ballard Admits the Haters Won

Chris Ballard is Holding Himself Accountable

Chris Ballard just put his hand up. He’s not putting the blame on anyone but himself.

In a Tuesday press conference, the Colts general manager opened his remarks by saying he has failed, and his critics have a point. However, he still has his job.

Despite Frank Reich being fired in the middle of the season, fans probably would have liked to see Ballard join him. In his six seasons in charge, the Colts have had three winning seasons. His career record as an executive is 45-52-1. Doesn’t exactly jump off your screen, right?

Regardless, he’s not completely delusional. He wants people to know that he hasn’t done well enough and wants to do better.

“I know there’s doubt,” Ballard said, via Stephen Holder of The Athletic. “The criticism, it’s warranted … But we live in a world where failure is not allowed. And we’re doing it on the biggest stage. Everybody wants your head. But if you’re able to go through it and learn from it, you can reach your greatest heights.”

Quote via Stephen Holder/Twitter

Guess Why That Is…

I think it’s safe to say that 2023 could be his last chance, especially if he blows it with the No. 4 overall pick.

One of the reasons the Colts have been so mediocre is because of their situation at quarterback. Ever since Andrew Luck retired, Indiana has become the island of misfit toys. The very first replacement was Jacoby Brissett, who did not wow anybody in two seasons. Next came Philip Rivers — 2020 was his last season before retirement.

And then, of course, came the Carson Wentz experiment. He actually had a pretty decent year compared to his final seasons in Philadelphia. Regardless, he could not show up when it mattered as a loss to the Jaguars in Week 17 kicked them out of a playoff spot. Mind you, Jacksonville went on to pick first overall in the very next draft.

Last, but not least, is Matt Ryan. The former MVP lost a heavyweight fight with Father Time in Indianapolis. He threw for just over 3000 yards with 14 touchdowns and 13 interceptions as the Colts limped to a 4-12-1 record.

All of this sets context for Ballard and the fourth pick. If C.J. Stroud is there, you’ve got to take him. You can argue that he didn’t look as good when Marvin Harrison Jr. went out for Ohio State, but the guy has everything you need for a franchise quarterback: arm talent, rushing ability, and a nose for the big game. If the Buckeyes had a competent kicker, they would have had a very good chance to upset Georgia.

Good Luck Chris!

Accountability helps in this day and age. Chris Ballard did the right thing by putting his hand up. But actions speak louder than words. Stroud must be his number one target. If Jonathan Taylor can get back to his 2021 self, and Ballard finds a way to fix this defense, they could be looking good.

However, he could give the haters even more ammunition if he screws this up. The first order of business is finding a head coach to usher in the future. Are we sure Jeff Saturday is the right guy for this? The quarterback-coach combo is how you strike gold in the NFL, look no further than Mahomes–Reid or Allen–McDermott.

If Ballard gets this right, maybe he’ll start deserving respect instead of criticism.

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