Since Chris Ballard arrived in Indianapolis in 2017, the Colts have undergone a drastic shift in philosophy on the field, in the locker room, and managing the balance sheet. His predecessor Ryan Grigson came in with a win-now mentality, looking to capitalize on Andrew Luck’s rookie contract and ease the pain of moving on from Peyton Manning — who Colts fans adore to this day. Ballard preached patience and warned that buying culture is impossible and that without it the franchise has no future.
At the time, Ballard had no earthly idea that his biggest asset Andrew Luck would miss an entire season and retire from football after playing just one season during his tenure.