The 49ers could play a critical role in whether or not the Colts opt to fire head coach Shane Steichen this season.
The San Francisco 49ers and Indianapolis Colts aren't exactly historic rivals, although for 60 minutes of play time in Week 16, they will be.
For the Niners, the Monday Night Football bout might be critical in determining if and how head coach Kyle Shanahan's squad gets into the postseason.
For Indy, however, the game could take on an entirely different meaning.
The hapless Colts, who haven't exactly been NFL-relevant since the days of quarterback Andrew Luck, could potentially face a turning point in a key juncture of the franchise's future.
Head coach Shane Steichen is squarely on the hot seat entering 2025, an aspect pointed out not long ago by CBS Sports' Jeff Kerr once the 2024 season concluded:
"The Colts are an absolute mess right now, and this goes above Steichen. From how the coaching staff and front office handled the benching of Anthony Richardson to how Steichen handles certain situations internally, the franchise just seems to have no sense of direction.
Steichen probably gets another season, but general manager Chris Ballard and defensive coordinator Gus Bradley may not be back. This season may be a lame duck year for Steichen unless the Colts transcend into a playoff team. "
Indianapolis ultimately opted to retain both Steichen and Ballard, but Bradley has since joined Shanahan's staff.
However, that isn't exactly relevant to what the Colts might be going through by the time the two squads face each other late in the year.
Indy has just one primetime game this season, Week 16 versus San Francisco. Provided Steichen isn't dismissed from duties by that point in the year, a would-be 49ers dominance over Indianapolis in front of a national audience would (and should) be the final straw for team owner Jim Irsay.
After all, it isn't as if Irsay has done fully rational things before, right?
With a 17-17 record, Steichen's future is fully in doubt. While coaches aren't typically fired on short weeks, as would be the case if it happened after Week 16's Monday night game, late-season firings typically remove all the plugs.
Because of this, the Northern California native could find himself getting the ax if the Niners visit Lucas Oil Stadium in prime time and pull off a commanding victory there.