The Indianapolis Colts’ season has officially come to an end, and if you ask Coach JB, the blame doesn’t just lie on the field—it’s at the very top of the organization. In a fiery episode of The Coach JB Show with Big Smitty, the outspoken coach didn’t mince words as he reacted to the Colts being eliminated from playoff contention following a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
While Big Smitty attempted to find “moral victories” in the fight shown by players like Kenny Moore and Grover Stewart, Coach JB was having none of it. “There’s no moral victories. There’s no gray area,” JB shouted, delivering one of his trademarked, R-rated metaphors about the difference between winners and losers.
The “Headset” Controversy
The most controversial segment of the show involved Coach JB’s pointed criticism of Carlie Irsay-Gordon, the daughter of owner Jim Irsay. JB took aim at her presence on the sidelines wearing a headset, arguing that her involvement in the “men’s space” of football leadership was a major distraction and a sign of poor organizational optics.
“Carly Irsay, did you have a staff meeting and tell all the coaches what they were doing wrong so you can fix it?” JB asked sarcastically. He compared her sideline presence to him walking into a makeup store and trying to give executive orders on lipstick shades. JB argued that her involvement contributed to the team’s slide from a top seed to missing the playoffs entirely, calling it an “epic failure.”
Ownership vs. Effort
Big Smitty defended the Irsay family, arguing that the ownership is at least “trying” and taking risks, such as making moves at the trade deadline and pursuing veteran leadership. Smitty noted that the team “played hard from beginning whistle to end” for interim leadership and players like “Uncle Phil” (Philip Rivers).
However, JB remained unimpressed by the effort, highlighting the team’s failure to secure a viable backup quarterback after injuries plagued the roster. “Leaders create more leaders or followers. Why didn’t we have a backup? Why do I got to go get a 44-year-old out of the Walmart grocery line?” he asked, referring to the team’s late-season quarterback struggles.
A Season of Two Halves
The debate highlighted the dramatic shift in the Colts’ season. For the first half of the year, Indianapolis looked like a Super Bowl contender, rolling to an 8-1 start. But as the losses piled up and injuries took their toll, the cracks in the foundation became impossible to ignore. Coach JB pointed out that he had been critical of the “optics” of the Irsay leadership even when they were winning, and the recent collapse only validated his concerns.
As the Colts head into an uncertain offseason, the tension between the “fight” on the field and the drama in the front office remains the biggest story in Indianapolis. Whether the organization heeds Coach JB’s advice to “let a GM run the team” remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure: the “Coach JB Show” will be there to call out every play along the way.
