Since the Oakland Raiders in 1995, no team has managed to miss the playoffs after an 8-2 record. There were no personal consequences for the time being. General manager Chris Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen were confirmed in office, but Irsay-Gordon, part of the sister trio at the helm of the club, simultaneously put the rod in the window for both of them: “We made it clear to them that with the new opportunity comes an urgency to deliver.”
In other words: Win or fly is the motto in the new season, so that Raimann can reach the play-offs for the first time in his fifth year. At the guest game in Berlin, where the Colts celebrated their last win of the season with a 31:25 after overtime against the Atlanta Falcons, the world looked different for the Colts.
By then, quarterback Daniel Jones and running back Jonathan Taylor had maneuvered their way into the popular debate about the most valuable player (MVP) early on. Head coach Steichen ensured a variable attack in which the offensive line around Raimann gave the playmaker time and opened up huge holes for the runner.
From 8:2 to 8:9 in seven weeks
In view of the success and in the hope of going far this season, general manager Ballard then sold two first-round picks to the New York Jets in order to lure star cornerback Sauce Gardner to Indianapolis. Curiously, he was only supposed to celebrate one victory in the entire season, that one in Berlin. After that, things went downhill for the Colts, which wasn’t just due to stronger opponents.
Quarterback Jones was already playing with a broken leg before a torn Achilles tendon ended the season prematurely. In the absence of fit, established playmakers, Philip Rivers was brought out of retirement. The 44-year-old, father of ten children and now also a grandfather, was no longer able to bring about a turnaround. Further injuries caused the cart to become stuck in the dirt.
“I believe in this team”
While other owners traditionally fired their coaches on the Monday after regular playing time, Irsay-Gordon and her sisters rely on continuity. Also because of the seven defeats at the end, five were with eight or fewer points. “I believe in the team, we just have to learn to deal with adversity better. And hopefully we’ll stay healthier,” said Irsay-Gordon.
The daughter of the late long-term owner Jim Irsay is in charge with her two sisters and was one of the faces in the NFL this (regular) season, as she stood on the sidelines during training and games, unusually for owners, in order to see and learn everything in detail. “She has always been involved, but in recent years she has sat down in more and more meetings and then learned everything about the offensive line, for example,” explained Raimann in an ORF interview in the fall.
It wasn’t Raimann and his department’s fault
Raimann, in turn, has learned that in the strongest football league in the world, even with a record of eight wins and two defeats, nothing is guaranteed – except the $60 million in the $100 million contract he signed last summer. Ultimately, that should remain the highlight of his 2025 sporting year.
Despite the dream start, he was denied participation in the play-offs for the first time in season four. In any case, it wasn’t the fault of the 28-year-old Viennese, who ended up missing a game due to an elbow injury, or his offensive line, which was faced with further failures. In this basic round, experts rated it as the second best after Denver. While the Broncos are now going into the title race as number one, the Colts are on vacation again.
