Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon on backup QBs: 'We need to see more consistency'
· Yahoo Sports
INDIANAPOLIS — Owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon believes the Colts have the right man under center in Daniel Jones.
If there was any doubt about that, the organization’s decision to sign Jones to a two-year, $88 million contract this offseason should have made it clear.
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Irsay-Gordon echoed her faith in Jones during her annual appearance on a preseason broadcast, this time coming during Saturday’s game against the Lions. Everything Jones has done has endeared himself to Irsay-Gordon, from the way he works to the way he rehabilitated his torn right Achilles tendon.
The larger question of this Colts preseason is who will be the backup to Jones, a quarterback who has only played a full season’s worth of games once in his NFL career. Indianapolis head coach Shane Steichen has been reluctant to make a decision; Steichen indicated this week that he might table his decision between 2023 first-round pick Anthony Richardson and second-year passer Riley Leonard past the NFL-mandated roster cutdown from 90 players to 53.
“The quarterback position, we feel great about Daniel, it’s so nice to have him back as our starter,” Irsay-Gordon said. “We were talking about the ‘Find a way’ consistency is something you need to see, and you get to your backup quarterbacks, especially we have two young guys with talent and potential, but we need to see more consistency.”
Richardson started Saturday’s game and directed two field-goal drives, completing 7 of 10 passes for 80 yards. Leonard turned in the two best throws of his preseason to lead a touchdown drive, but he also threw an ill-advised interception.
“We need to see more consistency,” Irsay-Gordon said. “I think we saw it today with Anthony; I think Riley’s got a lot of potential, he’s a hard worker, he’s got a great attitude, but it takes a little while. … It takes a while for them to develop their skills.”
Depth is a critical piece of Irsay-Gordon’s directive to her team this year.
The Colts principal owner has made it a point to tell her team to “Find a way” in 2026 after a rash of injuries to the team’s top players sent a promising Colts season to the cellar in 2025.
Irsay-Gordon believes Indianapolis has the players to finish off what the team started with an 8-2 opening.
“In meeting with a lot of our players in the offseason, in meeting with our leadership council, Shane, Chris, my sisters, one of the key things is we have the things to get where we need to go,” Irsay-Gordon said. “‘Find a way’ really is about being consistent, being resilient, and ultimately, that ‘Find a way’ mindset is that inner faith, because adversity is gonna come. Things are going to go wrong, you’re going to get wrinkles, but ultimately, that inner faith, inner confidence in yourself as a player, from a coach, but also as a team. We’re all going to make mistakes, but how are we going to overcome them? How are we going to respond when that happens?”
Ballard, the general manager who is headed into the final year of his contract, his 10th season in Indianapolis, has put it bluntly.
“We need to win,” Ballard said at the start of training camp.
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The Colts haven’t won enough under Ballard, making only two playoff appearances, and the reality that he’s headed into the final year of his contract without an extension adds all the necessary pressure to the 2026 season.
“I’m really fortunate, with Chris and Shane, to have that great relationship, to have that trust. I think, ultimately, at the leadership level, you always have to be aligned, but I also think we don’t always agree on things, and I think that’s a good thing," Irsay-Gordon said. "That means we trust each other to be honest and share our perspectives. We don’t like to micromanage people in our family. We like to hire great people and let them do what they need to do, but also, my job is to set the vision and make sure everyone in our building is enabling our athletes and our guys to maximize their potential.”
Joel A. Erickson and Nathan Brown cover the Colts all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Colts Insider newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon on backup QBs: 'We need to see more consistency'
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