As the 2025 season is about to get underway on Thursday night, there’s a certain buzz in the air for every fanbase around the league. Some can’t wait for the campaign to begin. Others are counting down the days until it’s over.
The Indianapolis Colts, who enter the 2025 season with a solid roster, but shrouded in uncertainty surrounding their quarterback position, don’t appear to have the fans on their side.
According to recent polling done by The Athletic, the Colts fanbase came in dead last on the Hope-O-Meter— a poll measuring fans levels of optimism entering the season— with just 6.8% optimism.
It’s a result which shouldn’t be too surprising. The Colts fanbase has not tasted the postseason since 2020 and have endured a quarterback carousel for the last decade. They vehemently got behind Anthony Richardson Sr. when the team drafted him No. 4 overall in 2023, but when Richardson lost the starting job to Daniel Jones this summer, the fanbase completely turned on the franchise.
“Daniel Jones is our starting QB. Chris Ballard is our GM. This team has been a mess for years. I'm just excited for a reset … unfortunately, we have to wade through this quagmire of a season to get there,” one opinion read in The Athletic’s piece.
“The team has given up on its first-round quarterback in favor of a player that offers no clear upside,” said another.
“At this rate, they’re gonna keep putting up that Andrew Luck retirement graphic until the end of time.”
It’s clear that hopes are not just low within the Indianapolis fanbase. There appears to be zero hope at all, even after Ballard’s most aggressive offseason he’s had as general manager. Still, there’s still a glimmer of optimism within the fanbase as a result of Ballard’s shake up.
“Colts made good additions to the defense and Daniel Jones has a good supporting cast of skill players. I think the Colts will surprise the pundits,” the lone optimistic perspective featured in The Athletic read.
While all 32 teams remain on an even playing field, the Colts fanbase is pulling their own team down before any regular season action commences. Only time will tell whether or not they’re able to return to relevance, but the lack of expectation within the fanbase signals that the fans are indifferent to any outcome.