Colts Insiders Shut Down Peyton Manning, GM Rumors

The Indianapolis Colts haven't made the NFL playoffs since the 2020 season and look like a longshot to qualify for the 2026 postseason following their 2-4 start.

The Colts suffered an embarrassing home loss against the previously winless Tennessee Titans in Week 6 on Sunday and fired general manager Chris Ballard on Monday morning.

It was also reported Monday that Indianapolis could be considering franchise legend Peyton Manning for the gig, though multiple Colts insiders said they were skeptical of the possibility.

Despite the recent string of misfortune, Indianapolis does have multiple potential franchise cornerstones on their roster, particularly on the offensive side.

The Colts have one of the best running backs in the league with Jonathan Taylor, a pair of standout wide receivers in Alec Pierce and Josh Downs and tight end Tyler Warren, who was a Pro Bowler during his 2025 rookie season.

Each of Taylor (27 years old), Pierce (26), Downs (25) and Warren (24) are presumably in, or about to enter their respective primes.

Following an MVP-caliber first half of the 2025 campaign, quarterback Daniel Jones, however, hasn't been the same player since suffering a torn Achilles last December. Jones has posted a career-low 59.6% completion percentage across six games this fall, while recording 1,290 passing yards, four touchdowns and six interceptions for a 71.1 passer rating.

With former No. 4 overall pick Anthony Richardson still technically the backup signal-caller on the team's depth chart, Indianapolis is likely to target a quarterback in the 2027 NFL Draft.

If the Manning rumors come to fruition, Colts fans may start dreaming of their iconic quarterback leading the charge in finding the franchise's next signal-caller.