The Indianapolis Colts have fired GM Chris Ballard just a day after the team’s dismal defeat by the Tennessee Titans.Ballard and coach Shane Steichen were already on thin ice going into the season after last year’s woeful meltdown saw them go from playoff contenders to out of the postseason entirely thanks to a seven-game losing streak.Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon told the duo in no uncertain terms in the offseason that results had to improve quickly if they were to keep their jobs.The Colts slipped to 2-4 with Sunday’s loss to the Titans, during which the hometown fans booed resoundingly during the second half and chanted ‘Fire Ballard,’ and Irsay-Gordon acted decisively.Her statement read: ‘I am grateful to Chris for his years of service to the Colts and for everything he poured into this organization. He cared deeply about our team and our community, and we wish Chris and his family all the best.’As I said at the start of the season, the sense of urgency has never been higher. Our standard is to compete for championships, and I believe a change in leadership is necessary to meet that standard.’Making this change during the season was a deliberate decision. Waiting would only delay the important work that needs to begin now. We will conduct a thorough search for our next general manager and take the time necessary to identify the right leader for the future of this organization. The Indianapolis Colts have fired GM Chris Ballard just hours after the defeat by the Titans Owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon told Ballard his job was in the balance in January after a poor run’I also want to be clear: This decision does not change our goals for the season. We have a lot of football in front of us, and I expect us to compete, improve, and win football games.’Ballard was in his 10th season as GM of the Colts and had a 72-82-1 record during his tenure, including just one playoff win in 2018. The Colts haven’t made the postseason in five straight years and already face an uphill task to do so this time around.Indy became the first team since the 1995 Oakland Raiders and just the sixth since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger to start 8-2 and not make the postseason last year.That prompted calls from furious fans for Irsay-Gordon, who took over day-to-day operations from her late father, Jim, to fire both Ballard and Steichen.’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 back in January.’Chris and Shane are both capable of facing this challenge head on and finding a way to achieve the results our fans deserve, which is winning games, getting to the postseason and ultimately winning championships.’Ballard doubled down on his existing Colts offense in the summer. He signed quarterback Daniel Jones to a two-year deal worth $88 million, wide receiver Alec Pierce to a four-year, $116 million deal and star running back Jonathan Taylor to a two-year, $44 million extension.But his revamped defense yielded 1,029 yards, the second-highest two-game total in league history, as Indy lost its opening two games. Victories over the then-winless Houston Texans and a Washington Commanders squad playing with a backup quarterback briefly quieted the calls for changes. The Colts slipped to 2-4 for the season and face an uphill task if they are to reach the playoffsBut another poor defensive performance in a loss at Pittsburgh was followed by Sunday’s debacle – blowing a 13-0 halftime lead with the Titans defense holding Indy to only one second-half score. A 58-yard punt return in the fourth quarter set up Tennessee’s tying score and a blocked punt that was returned for a touchdown less than three minutes later gave Tennessee the lead.Afterward, the postgame tone changed. ‘We’ve got to give them something to cheer about,’ a feistier than usual Steichen said. ‘I don’t blame them for booing one freaking bit.’Pro Bowl defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, a team captain, took his frustration public, too. ‘I’m sick and tired of the same song and dance every year,’ the team captain said.Indy visits unbeaten Minnesota next weekend, then heads to AFC South-leading Jacksonville the following week. They won’t play at Lucas Oil Stadium again until November 8 when they host Dallas.Steichen was asked Sunday about whether turnover-prone quarterback Daniel Jones would keep his job and whether he would make any changes on his staff. While Steichen said the Colts need to find a solution to the giveaways, he did not promise any personnel changes.Ballard’s decade-long tenure included some unusual twists and turns – the sudden retirement of Andrew Luck in August 2019, seven straight years with a different opening day starting quarterback, the firing of coach Frank Reich and subsequent hiring of Jeff Saturday, and last year’s decision to bring Philip Rivers out of retirement while he was on the Hall of Fame ballot. Coach Shane Steichen is also under huge pressure after being told he must improve resultsAnd while the Colts routinely hovered near the .500 mark, they never could quite get over the hump. They’ve won only one playoff game since reaching the 2014 AFC championship, a wild-card round victory at Houston in 2018. Indy lost the next week at Kansas City, where Ballard previously worked.They returned to the playoffs in 2020 with Rivers but lost 27-24 and haven’t been back since.Indy also has the longest title drought in its division. They haven’t won the AFC South since 2014 – every other team has won it at least twice since then.But it was the decision to draft quarterback Anthony Richardson with the No. 4 overall pick in 2023 that ultimately undid Ballard’s tenure. Richardson’s inconsistent play and recurring injuries through his first two seasons prompted Ballard to sign Jones last season.