{"id":861632,"date":"2026-04-08T21:49:18","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T21:49:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/861632\/"},"modified":"2026-04-08T21:49:18","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T21:49:18","slug":"colts-shane-steichen-didnt-land-encouraging-head-coach-ranking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/861632\/","title":{"rendered":"Colts’ Shane Steichen didn’t land encouraging head coach ranking"},"content":{"rendered":"

Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen\u2019s placement in a recent ranking of all 32 NFL head coaches won\u2019t inspire a ton of excitement amongst the fan base ahead of a playoff or bust season in 2026.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\"Colts
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDec 7, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA;Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen leaves the field after a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium.
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTravis Register-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

The Indianapolis Colts<\/a> have a big season coming up. After their disastrous collapse last year, it will truly be a playoff or bust year. That goes for Shane Stiechen, Chris Ballard, and countless others with the team.<\/p>\n

Before that year kicks off, though, in the NFL. Steichen\u2019s placement in those rankings isn\u2019t where he would want to be. However, it is exactly where Colts fans feel the team is, middle of the pack.<\/p>\n

2026 NFL Head Coach Rankings. Analysis for all 32 teams, including this year’s *10* new hires. It’s the deepest group since I started this exercise 12 years ago https:\/\/t.co\/0mbqhjFlnU<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Patrick Daugherty (@RotoPat) April 7, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Shane Steichen ranks as the 15th-best head coach in the NFL, according to NBC Sports<\/p>\n

We are trying to answer an either\/or question with\u00a0Shane Steichen. Does he deserve credit for keeping a dysfunctional franchise on the tracks, or blame for remaining mired at .500? I tend to believe the former, but it\u2019s easy to indulge in the latter after Indy started 8-2 last season only to collapse out of the playoffs before Week 18 even started. It is inarguable that things could be worse in Indy. But how does Steichen make things better than his current 8-9, 9-8 carousel? Talk inevitably turns to things beyond Steichen\u2019s control. Were GM\u00a0Chris Ballard\u2019s \u201clost years\u201d more about late owner\u00a0Jim Irsay\u00a0than himself? Will new owner\u00a0Carlie Irsay-Gordon\u00a0run a more traditional operation, giving Steichen more stability and leeway? The early returns on both of those questions are \u201cno\u201d after last November\u2019s hyper-aggressive, ultimately ill-considered trade for\u00a0Sauce Gardner.\u00a0Indy now lacks the draft capital it needs to get out of quarterback purgatory. That probably ultimately means Steichen\u2019s Colts tenure will get hit with an incomplete grade and we might not get a final answer on his coaching ability until he is recycled elsewhere.<\/p>\n

Patrick Daugherty<\/p>\n

NBC Sports NFL analyst<\/p>\n

Steichen landed the 15th spot in this ranking. With a 25-26 record through his first three years as a head coach, that seems reasonable. Diving a bit deeper into the rankings, you\u2019ll see he\u2019s the seventh-highest-ranked AFC coach. On the negative side, he does come in as the third-ranked coach in the AFC South.<\/p>\n

He is one of the league\u2019s top offensive minds and has proven himself to be a respected playcaller. The big obstacle he must overcome is putting together a full season from start to finish.<\/p>\n

Trying to replicate the early-season offensive success<\/a> they had through the first eight weeks was clearly a priority for the Colts. They did what was necessary to bring back Daniel Jones<\/a> at quarterback and paid Alec Pierce<\/a> to make him their top wide receiver.<\/p>\n

The team needs to get better play out of their defense, but if Steichen can get them playing at that high a level next year, his respect around the league will only grow. He\u2019s already won games with multiple quarterbacks during his time in Indy.<\/p>\n

Hopefully, he will finally get to experience a full season with the same player under center all season. Because if we are being honest, the Colts have let Steichen down on the field more than he has let the team down. We shall see how the 2026 season turns out, as the goal is for the Colts to play well enough to earn Steichen a fourth season as head coach.<\/p>\n

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\t\t\t\"Texas\t\t<\/p>\n

Indianapolis Colts News<\/p>\n

A brand new 7-round Indianapolis Colts mock draft shows what their full haul could look like if they prioritize linebacker being their first selection come the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft<\/p>\n