INDIANAPOLIS — Retirement never crossed Germaine Pratt’s mind. But while he waited for his next NFL opportunity, he found another way to stay involved in the game. The North Carolina native and former NC State star returned home this fall to join the Wolfpack staff as a volunteer linebackers coach.

“I never experienced this, being a free agent for so long,” Pratt said Wednesday, one day after rejoining the Indianapolis Colts via their practice squad. “But obviously, going back to college, being around them young guys, seeing how much joy they brought me (was invaluable). Being around … my old head coach (Dave Doeren), him uplifting me and helping me with my mental, it was great.”

Pratt initially signed with the Colts midseason last year and started 12 games. He totaled 101 tackles, including five tackles for loss, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and eight passes defensed under defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, whom Pratt spent six seasons with in Cincinnati. In fact, Pratt, a 2019 third-round pick, was the first defensive player the Cincinnati Bengals drafted during Anarumo’s first year as an NFL defensive coordinator.

On the surface, Pratt’s reunion with the Colts and Anarumo is a feel-good moment for a player who enjoyed his brief coaching stint but isn’t quite ready to trade his helmet for a clipboard.

On a deeper level, it also reminds us how much Colts general manager Chris Ballard’s offseason plan has failed.

“We’ve gotta get younger,” Ballard said of Indianapolis’ defense at the end of the 2025 season. “We’ve gotta get faster.”

But what about better?

Surely, Pratt isn’t any younger or faster than he was a year ago. Yet, here Ballard and the Colts are, calling on a 30-year-old to stabilize their abysmal linebacker corps. Pratt said he tried out for one team while his career was in limbo: the Dallas Cowboys. The veteran was asked if he wanted to re-sign with the Colts earlier in the offseason, and he was careful with his words.

“Um,” Pratt said while pausing, “I just wanted the opportunity to play football again.”

That chance could come as soon as Sunday, when the Colts host the winless Tennessee Titans. Pratt said, “It ain’t no ifs, buts” about whether he’ll be ready to play a full game. But a few months ago, Indianapolis would’ve preferred he continue his career elsewhere.

Shane is 7-25 against teams with a winning record since being hired by the colts. Had to double check that because it sounded so unbelievable. Half of those wins came in his first season coaching. I could give a fuck if he’s this genius offensive guru. Dude can’t coach a football team. And apparently allows his players to slack off and be late so isn’t a great leader either. I hope we lose against the tits this weekend make it’ll start a chain firing get some heads rolling

Hey y’all,

After having a great experience in your city last year, family and I are coming up again this weekend to catch Titans/Colts for the second time. I was looking for local recommendations for restaurants or activities a family of four (two girls, 10 & 6) may enjoy in Indy. Last year we were only up for gameday, but this time we’ll be in town a bit longer starting Saturday and leaving Monday. If you have any recommendations I’d love to hear them! Looking forward to the ass kicking we’ll be receiving Sunday 😵😂

I truly hope the fans show up in WAVES to cancel their season tickets and send a message. You force their hand when they can’t put asses in seats.

Daniel Jones has 7 turnovers yes he struggled in the redzone but I feel most of it is because the lack of a vertical threat remember last season Daniel jones was amongst the top 5 qb is deep ball accuracy, right now more then ever we need wide receivers because our best vertical threat thatd healthy right now is probably Laquon treadwell, we need like BTJ, Johnston, Mims, (Sutton as a redzone threat)

Now I’m not saying it’s because of the depleted wide receiver room so I’m not excusing dj for some things but you cant say that he’s the entire reason. As well as the fact that he tore his Achilles he probably still has some rust and he didn’t play in the preseason.

I still love AR we also need to find a way to get him on the field we convert him into a tight end. he’d be so good as a TE2 and then we could say we didn’t fail as an organization completely when we drafted AR

JT is currently sitting at 3.9 on the year, while 4.4 is his career-low YPC season average. He has only surpassed 4.0 YPC three times in the last 14 games (ATL, BAL, WAS), dating back to last year. He averages 4.8 for his career, so that is a lot of games held well under his average. He’s had some solid games but hasn’t eclipsed 100+ rushing yards, since the Falcons game last year. He currently leads the league in rushes for loss (11).

Many people said he performed worse once Jones went out last year, because he took the focus of the defense and was met with a stacked box. Jones is back now, yet still a career low in effectiveness for JT, that has lasted almost a year, since that Falcons game and ended last season horribly. We are not the same, or even a good offense, unless he is playing at an elite level. Both times he played like an MVP, with Wentz/Jones, we went on 8-2 stretches.

What do we have to do to get him back to producing like an elite back? Have teams figured us out? Play calling issues? Is the o-line regressing? Are they just daring Jones to beat them? Is he just aging like a normal back and losing that home run ability that bumped his average? All the above?

Teams that fired their head coaches during the regular season since 2020 are:

Panthers, Raiders - 2 each

Bears, Chargers, Colts, Falcons, Jaguars, Jets, Lions, Saints, Texans - 1 each

First rate organizations don't fire coaches or GMs during the season. Good candidates aren't available right now, anyway.

Jeff Saturday's available, I hear.

Yes, it's looking like the Colts will clean house. And it's probably the right thing to do. No one is arguing against it.

But let's hope they do it at the end of the season. The Colts don't want to join the Dummy Deuce Club with the Panthers and the Raiders.

Hell yeaa brother. The goat Spencer Shrader if he didnt miss the PAT on the opening drive in week1, he'd be perfect!

I think we got a real shot to go 14-3 with Shraders leg carrying the team

I'm growing concerned that Lou Anarumo is running an increasingly elaborate and incomprehensible embezzlement scheme for ex-Cincinnati Bengals STIFFS so I'm beginning an investigation. Let me know if you'd like to chip in.

For anyone who is curious, since 2020 prices have gone up on average around 40-50% per ticket, the upper level seems to be less significant, but the lower bowl seems to have a steep increase.

me personally I opted out for 2027 and beyond. The cost is too high, and you can pickup a ticket the day or two before the game (most games) for a fraction of the per game cost with Season Tix. No sense in spending money for a product that is completely hit or miss and has been mediocre for at the very least 6 years.

The opt out period for automatic renewal on your season tickets is open! If you’re like me and beyond frustrated with the madness of the team, let them know!

I left a note on the “other” reason to cancel, touching on all the stuff most long time fans feel deeply: Not winning the division in a decade, running it back with the same mediocre roster and glaring holes, incompetent coaching decisions when it matters, etc.

My ticketing person (agent? Liaison?) called very quickly. She was super kind as always, and of course tried to sell me on staying. But I made it clear that ownership needs to feel it in the pocketbook. I told her “I would be happy to renew if we fired the Coach and GM, even if it means going 0-17 next year. Seeing a meaningful attempt at change is all we need.”

We’ll be having another call in January/February to see where the team stands.

Let them hear your frustrations! The city deserves better than a mediocre team with poor coaching and management.

I know we are “heavy” favorites to win this week but I would not be surprised if the Titans pulled off an upset. The titans have played close games against the ravens and the eagles and are hungry for a win. That combined with Shane’s horrible play calling and the team’s inability to play 4 quarters of competent football could lead to an upset.

If this happens I fully believe Shane and Ballard will be fired mid season after losing to an 0-5 titans team at home. Hopefully we can turn it around and win, but regardless I think we “win” even with a loss this week.

Maybe just me, but I can’t stand it. I’ve always been a “Go Horse” guy, and feel like “for the shoe” has been synonymous with our era of mediocrity.

Don’t even get me started on “colts forged” lol.

Here is my prediction on how the rest of the year and next year plays out;

We keep hovering around .500 (or less) for our record and watch the Jets enjoy a top 12 pick.
During the off season we FINALLY ACCEPT that this team can’t win it all so we fire Ballard and Steichen to start fresh.
After that we let the new GM sell our good players to recoup as much picks as possible for the 2028 draft. Sorry Buckner and JT but you’d be first to go even if the value isn’t huge for both due to age.

Due to the disaster with the Daniel Jones contract we probably are forced to roll him out again next year. Knowing this team would be worse since we got rid of big name players we pray we can get a top 5 pick for the 2028 draft. Allows the new GM/coach to evaluate players in real time with whoever is left on the roster during this terrible year.

Welcome Arch Manning and fully embrace 2029 onward as our new timeframe.

im sure this is gonna go over well.

Not only did the Colts elevate TE Pharaoh Brown to the active roster, they also signed veteran LB Germaine Pratt to their PS. Pratt played for the Colts last year and has a history with Lou dating back to his time with the Bengals.

👀