Colts' Coach Shane Steichen Gives Terrible Answer When Asked About Pat McAfee's Criticism

Following the Indianapolis Colts' shocking loss to the previously two-win New York Giants on Sunday, a loss that knocked the Colts out of NFL playoff contention, ESPN star Pat McAfee went OFF on the state of the team led by head coach Shane Steichen. 

McAfee played for the Colts for the entirety of his eight-year NFL career and continues to live in Indianapolis. He's also a season ticket holder for the team. 

But, according to McAfee, he's "not renewing" his tickets after the disastrous results this season from a team talented enough to win the AFC South. 

In addition, McAfee noted several problems with this year's Colts team. One of those issues, according to McAfee, is that players are often late to meetings. 

While McAfee never mentioned Steichen by name, it's hard not to point the finger at the head coach for many of the issues that McAfee raised. If players are late to meetings, and there's a "loser attitude radiating" through the team, that falls on the coach. 

Colts beat reporter Bob Kravitz asked Steichen specifically about McAfee's claim that players are often late to meetings. 

Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen does not seem concerned that his players aren't always on time for practices and meetings.

(Robert Deutsch/Imagn Images)

Not only did Steichen not deny the allegation, he gave arguably the worst answer an NFL coach could give in that situation. 

"Not everyone's going to be on time, every time," Steichen responded. 

Wait, what? 

Steichen went on to talk about the team having accountability, but it's hard to see where that comes from when punctuality isn't even demanded by the head coach. 

Being on time is such a small detail and one that should be the bare minimum expected by an NFL head coach. The fact that Steichen seems to brush it off is not a good sign for his future as a head coach. 

Pat McAfee wields a lot of power in Indianapolis, so it's also a very bad sign for Steichen that McAfee publicly called out the team's culture as he did on Sunday. 

It might not be all Steichen's fault – the drafting of Anthony Richardson as the franchise QB only to find out that he's willing to sub out of critical game situations because he's "tired" looks bad in retrospect – but winning culture starts with the head coach. 

Ask Andy Reid, Mike Tomlin, or either of the Harbaugh brothers about that. They'll tell you that accountability and culture begins with them. Steichen seems willing to allow the players to control the culture and, right now, that's not working. 

Changes are probably coming in Indianapolis. We'll just have to wait and see what that looks like.