Bottom Line Up Front: The Indianapolis Colts are ranked 25th in Bleacher Report’s 2025 NFL power rankings, and the numbers tell a sobering story of sustained mediocrity since Andrew Luck’s shocking retirement. With a winning percentage of just 47% over the last five years, catastrophic quarterback instability, and critical personnel losses, the Colts appear destined for another disappointing campaign.
Abysmal Five-Year Winning Percentage
The numbers don’t lie: The Indianapolis Colts have won 47.0 percent of the time between November 25, 2019 and November 25, 2024. This sub-.500 record over five seasons represents a franchise in clear decline. Breaking down their recent records shows the extent of their mediocrity:
- 2020: 11-5 (playoff berth with Philip Rivers)
- 2021: 9-8 (missed playoffs with Carson Wentz)
- 2022: 4-12-1 (disastrous season with Matt Ryan)
- 2023: 9-8 (missed playoffs with Gardner Minshew/Anthony Richardson)
- 2024: 8-9 (missed playoffs again)
The Indianapolis Colts last made the playoffs in 2020, when they lost the Wild Card Round. They’ve been in the playoffs a total of 29 times in their 72 seasons. This represents four consecutive seasons without postseason football – a stark contrast to their glory days under Peyton Manning.
The Andrew Luck Catastrophe: Their Biggest Production Loss
The most devastating blow to the franchise remains Andrew Luck’s retirement on August 24, 2019. After seven seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, quarterback Andrew Luck announced his retirement following the team’s Week 3 preseason game against the Chicago Bears on Saturday, August 24, 2019.
Luck’s impact was immense – he leads the franchise in many offensive categories and his production will be tough to replace. Consider what the Colts lost:
- Career Stats: Andrew Luck finishes his NFL career with 23,671 yards, 2,000 completions, 171 touchdowns and an 89.5 passer rating.
- Team Success: He went 55-33 as the Colts’ starting quarterback that included four trips to the playoffs. Luck led the Colts to four playoff wins that included a surprising AFC title game run in 2014.
- Individual Accolades: Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck has made the Pro Bowl four times in his career: 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2018.
Bleacher Report ripped open an old wound once again, pegging the failing of Luck as the Colts’ biggest regret of the last 5 years. The franchise’s inability to protect their franchise quarterback – allowing him to absorb tremendous punishment behind poor offensive lines – directly contributed to his premature retirement at age 29.
Disastrous Trade Decisions
The Carson Wentz Debacle
The Colts’ most glaring personnel mistake was trading for Carson Wentz in 2021. The Colts will receive the Commanders’ third-round picks in 2022 and 2023, sources told Schefter. They gave up valuable draft capital – a first-round pick and third-round pick to Philadelphia – for just one mediocre season.
Four years after trading for Wentz, the Colts are still a mess. Indy is relying on quarterback Anthony Richardson to dig them out of an endless carousel, but little hope is at the end of the tunnel after another year filled with injuries and poor performances. The trade’s long-term damage became evident when The Eagles’ front office flipped Indy’s draft capital into some elite talent that helped bring another trophy to their cabinet.
After one disappointing 9-8 season, The Colts are trading quarterback Carson Wentz to the Washington Commanders for a package of draft picks – receiving far less compensation than they originally gave up.
Quarterback Carousel: A Six-Year Nightmare
Since Luck’s departure, the Colts have found themselves navigating a tumultuous sea of uncertainty at the quarterback position. The revolving door has been exhausting:
Pot-Luck Starting Quarterbacks:
- 2019: Jacoby Brissett
- 2020: Philip Rivers (brief success – 11-5, playoffs)
- 2021: Carson Wentz (9-8, missed playoffs)
- 2022: Matt Ryan/Sam Ehlinger/Nick Foles (4-12-1 disaster)
- 2023: Anthony Richardson/Gardner Minshew (9-8, missed playoffs)
- 2024: Anthony Richardson/Joe Flacco (8-9, missed playoffs)
Coach Frank Reich will now have his fifth starting quarterback in as many seasons, a situation star Colts linebacker Darius Leonard also highlighted on Twitter.
The Indianapolis Colts quarterback carousel has been going on since Andrew Luck retired right before the 2019 season. Even their current situation offers little hope, as Daniel Jones has already built a “significant lead” over Richardson in the competition to be the team’s starting quarterback.
Offensive and Defensive Inconsistency
Offensive Struggles
Despite having quality skill position players like Jonathan Taylor and Michael Pittman Jr., the Colts’ offense has been frustratingly inconsistent. Points For: 377 (22.2/g) 17th of 32 in 2024 shows an offense that manages just mediocre production.
The passing game has been particularly problematic, with 289 513 19 7 completions, attempts, interceptions, and average showing struggles to maintain consistency through the air.
Defensive Mediocrity
Points Against: 427 (25.1/g) 24th of 32 reveals a defense that struggles to get stops when needed. The defense yielded 23 first downs for a 74.2% Opponent Drive Success Rate that ranks 22nd on the week.
The defense has shown particular weakness against the pass while maintaining reasonable run defense, creating an imbalanced unit that opponents can exploit.
Current Quarterback Instability Continues
The franchise’s quarterback problems persist into 2025. “These are uncertain times in Indianapolis,” Davenport writes. “Head coach Shane Steichen finds himself on quite a few “hot seat” lists after two straight seasons of missing the postseason.”
Anthony Richardson, the supposed franchise savior drafted fourth overall in 2023, has been plagued by injuries and inconsistency. “That’s because Richardson appears to be on the outside looking in under center—after signing Daniel Jones in the offseason, Jones has already built a “significant lead” over Richardson in the competition to be the team’s starting quarterback.”
“It stands to reason that Steichen would do so—he may need Jones to save his job,” Davenport writes. “Because while the Colts have talented players on both sides of the ball, we have seen the past two years how far the team won’t go without a quarterback.”
The Verdict: Another Lost Season Ahead
The evidence overwhelmingly suggests the Colts are headed for another disappointing campaign. With a 47% winning percentage over five years, the catastrophic loss of Andrew Luck, disastrous personnel decisions like the Wentz trade, and ongoing quarterback instability featuring an injury-prone Richardson losing the starting job to discarded Daniel Jones, this franchise appears stuck in mediocrity.
“Unless Richardson gets healthy and drastically improves, or Jones looks like a viable starting option for an entire season, the Colts could very well be looking to reset after the 2026 campaign. The fact it’s being mentioned already shows how dire this situation actually is.”
Most experts are right to be pessimistic about Indianapolis. Until this organization can find stability at quarterback and make competent personnel decisions, the Colts will indeed be dolts once again.
