On Jan. 4, the Indianapolis Colts fell 38-30 to the Houston Texans, closing out their season with a seventh consecutive loss. The Colts haven't reached the playoffs since 2020, when they were eliminated in the wild card round. Despite a 7-1 start that gave them the league's best record in the 2025 season and first place in the AFC South, the team couldn't maintain that success, finding themselves out of playoff contention.
The Colts were eliminated from playoff contention on Dec. 27 when the Houston Texans defeated the L.A. Chargers. Despite being eliminated from the playoffs, the Colts aimed to snap their losing streak in their final game of the season. The Colts came into the game with a win in their belt from their previous matchup against Houston, but they weren't able to repeat that victory and saw their losing streak continue.
“Overall I was pleased by how the guys battled all day but obviously not enough,” said Colts head coach Shane Steichen. “We had the last half of the season for sure. That’s what it's been — not finding ways to finish. And we got to work tirelessly to get that fixed.”
The 2025 season saw many ups and downs, from the highs of a remarkable 8-2 record and the NFL's top offense to the lows of losing their starting quarterback and several key defensive players. These players include quarterback Daniel Jones, cornerbacks Charvarius Ward Sr. and Saucer Gardner, kicker Spencer Shrader and defensive lineman DeForest Buckner, among others.
Jones suffered a season-ending torn achilles on Dec. 7 and had to undergo surgery, though is expected to be recovered by the start of training camp. Just days after Jones’ injury, Ward Sr. was placed on injured reserve after suffering multiple concussions throughout the season. Gardner injured his calf in late November and played only a handful of games for the Colts after being acquired in a trade by the New York Jets. Shrader missed the rest of the season due to a torn ACL and MCL in his knee, which he suffered back in October 2025. Buckner sustained a season-ending neck injury in November that was aggravated during an attempted return, requiring surgery.
Due to the accumulating injuries, the Colts moved players between the practice squad and active roster throughout the season. The biggest signing was quarterback Philip Rivers, who came out of a five-year retirement in December after both starting quarterbacks Jones and Anthony Richardson sustained injuries. Rivers retired once more following the end of the season. Despite the signing of new players, the team was not able to break the losing streak and ultimately ended the season with an 8-9 record.
Carlie Irsay-Gordon looks on during the third quarter of the game versus the Seattle Seahawks on Dec. 14. (Photo courtesy of Getty Images)
In the end-of-season press conference on Jan.5 at the Indiana Bureau Football Center, Colts owner and CEO Carlie Irsay-Gordon voiced her frustrations about the aftermath of an 8-9 season as well as her decision to have General Manager Chris Ballard and Head Coach Shane Steichen return for the 2026 season.
"We have been very clear with Chris and Shane that giving them another opportunity means that the sense of urgency for them to deliver and perform has never been higher," Irsay-Gordon said. "Chris and Shane are both capable of facing this challenge head-on and finding a way to achieve the results that our fans deserve, which is winning games, getting to the postseason and ultimately winning championships."
The Colts have already begun making moves in preparation for next season, hoping to avoid finishing 8-9 for the third consecutive year. Despite their strong start to the 2025 season, their focus now is figuring out how to get the team to consistently finish games and having solutions to better handle the adversities that every NFL team faces.
Citlali Sanchez is a senior majoring in sports journalism, with a minor in sport marketing. She enjoys going out for boba and watching soccer and anime. She can also be found volunteering at sporting events in town or out at coffee shops.
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