WESTFIELD, Ind. — Even Rick Venturi knows he’s telling a lie, albeit a benign one. The former Indianapolis Colts coach and current radio analyst always says he’ll be a “little” early for the start of training camp practice. But Tuesday, he arrives at 9:16 a.m., a full 44 minutes before the action gets underway. Typical.

As Venturi sits down in a chair facing the Colts’ two practice fields at Grand Park, the grass is still relatively empty, with only a few coaches and players beating him there. But from Venturi’s perspective, there’s no use in waiting any longer. The 80-year-old football lifer, whom The Athletic shadowed for Tuesday’s practice, has already been up since 4:30 a.m., fueled by his unwavering love for the game.

Longtime NFL coach and current Colts radio analyst Rick Venturi is optimistic about the team’s outlook in 2026. (Matt Dayhoff / Imagn Images)

“I’ve always been an early riser. I keep the hours of a farmer to tell you the truth,” Venturi says, laughing. “And the reason for that is, after I get some coffee in me, that’s when I think the clearest. There are no distractions, no phone. I’m just unimpeded in my man cave, watching tape, writing reports, getting my podcast ready or getting ready for the game.”

The only thing that interferes with Venturi’s all-football mornings is when he has to make coffee for his wife, Cheri, whom he affectionately calls “Mrs. Cheri.” She wakes up at about 9 a.m., he says, and that’s typically when he re-emerges from his basement to get to brewing.

Otherwise, Venturi still treats every day as if he’s the one calling the plays on the field rather than analyzing them from the press box. Venturi, who jokes he’s “80 going on 40” after having both of his knees replaced earlier this year, knows his coaching days are long gone, but internally, he can never turn it off.

“I was raised on it. My dad, Joe, was a Hall of Fame high school coach (in Illinois),” says Venturi, who wears his late father’s Hall of Fame ring every day to honor him. “When I was like 7 years old, I went on most of the trips with him. I was on the bus. I was on the sidelines. And I don’t say this egotistically, but because of my background, I could explain the split-T to the quarterbacks when I was 7. My dad would have me do that.”

Venturi loves sharing these stories of yesteryear, but when practice finally begins at 10 a.m., his focus shifts to the present. Here’s what he had to say about the Colts and what could lie ahead in 2026.

10:08 a.m. — The Colts’ kicking competition resumes with Spencer Shrader getting a turn, one day after Blake Grupe drilled all six of his field goal attempts. Shrader fails to hold serve, missing from 45 and 57 yards. Venturi takes note, acknowledging that though Shrader is still working his way back from a season-ending knee injury he suffered in October, the 5-foot-7 Grupe is leaving little doubt about who should be the Colts’ starting kicker.

Throughout training camp so far, Grupe is a perfect 12-of-12 on field goal attempts, and Shrader has missed three of his 12 tries. Last year, Grupe, who was cut by the New Orleans Saints after missing eight kicks in 11 games, replaced Shrader and has been unflappable in Indy.

“Grupe’s just mind-boggling,” Venturi says. “He’s undefeated. He hasn’t missed a kick. But my question is: Who was that guy in New Orleans? I don’t question if he’s good enough. I question how the hell he missed so many kicks!”

10:15 a.m. — Venturi yells to Colts pass game coordinator and secondary coach Chris Hewitt during a special teams period. Hewitt recognizes the voice, turns around and jogs over to give Venturi a hug. Venturi coached Hewitt, a former safety, with the Saints in the late 1990s. Now, Hewitt is tasked with coaching what Venturi believes is one of the most talented secondaries in Colts history, headlined by its cornerbacks.

Indianapolis has two All-Pros flanking each other on the outside, Sauce Gardner and Charvarius Ward Sr. The duo appeared in only one full game together last year because of a calf injury to Gardner and repeated concussions for Ward. Venturi is confident they can be one of the top outside duos in the league — if they stay healthy. He’s also high on second-year slot cornerback Justin Walley, who missed his entire rookie season because of a torn ACL.

“For Lou (Anarumo) to be at his best as a defensive coordinator, he needs his horses, and he’s got three of them,” Venturi says, noting the Colts allowed the third-most passing yards per game (247.9) in the NFL in 2025. “He didn’t really have these guys last year, so they weren’t able to play as much man-to-man as he wanted. You can’t play pure zone in this league and consistently win. The quarterbacks are too good.”

10:23 a.m. — Seth McGowan darts by during a running back drill. The rookie seventh-round pick, who stands 6 feet and weighs 223 pounds, is noticeably bigger than the rest of the players at his position. Venturi thinks there’s a real chance McGowan can be the Colts’ backup running back, especially if he can hold up in pass protection. McGowan, whom Venturi calls “the steal of the draft,” is competing with 2025 fifth-round pick DJ Giddens for the top reserve role.

“Jonathan Taylor is one of my very favorite players of all time, and I’ve seen a lot of them,” Venturi says, laughing. “But he can’t do it by himself. With McGowan, and even Giddens, we have to be able to trust you in the passing game. Danny Jones needs to be able to trust you. But with McGowan, he was very good at Kentucky. He’s not a jitterbug. He’s a one-cut guy. He’s got good vision, and he’ll put that shoulder down when he needs to get through (the hole).”

10:31 a.m. — The Colts begin their first 11-on-11 period down near the goal line. Second-year tight end Tyler Warren lines up in the backfield with Taylor before Jones fakes a handoff to Warren and then slings a short touchdown pass to Josh Downs. Venturi points out Warren’s versatility and how his mere presence on the field can bend a defense. Last year, Warren totaled 76 catches for 817 yards and four touchdowns in what Venturi considers arguably the best rookie tight end showing in franchise history.

“Despite the receiver situation, when you have Warren, who’s just a terrific hybrid player, you can still do some fun things,” Venturi says. “He can play at the edge as an old-fashioned tight end. That time, he was at fullback. He can even be your third wide receiver if you have two tight ends in the game. So, if you’re a defensive coordinator and Mo Alie-Cox and Warren are in the game, do you go nickel (with five defensive backs)? Or do you go base (with four defensive backs)? That eases your game plan a bit and gives you a lot of options and answers on offense.”

10:42 a.m. — Venturi beelines from one field to the other as the offensive linemen and defensive linemen do their one-on-ones. He can’t hide his excitement, repeatedly stating this is “where games are really won.” Venturi tips his cap to 2024 first-round pick Laiatu Latu, who easily whipped around second-year right tackle Jalen Travis for a “sack” in one of their first reps. He expects Latu to build on the 8.5 sacks he had last year, but that might be possible only if another defensive end steps up.

“Jaylahn (Tuimoloau) is the guy that’s gotta come through for us, at least on first down,” Venturi says as the 2025 second-round pick gets the best of backup tackle Luke Tenuta with a swim move. “I think you’re hoping that you can use him and (Arden) Key in conjunction, with (Tuimoloau) being your first-down guy, and Key being your designated pass rusher on third down.”

Last year, Tuimoloau didn’t record a single start or sack, but Venturi isn’t deterred by Tuimoloau’s lack of rookie-year production, noting the Colts had a few veterans playing ahead of Tuimoloau. This year, those guys are gone, leaving Tuimoloau with a great opportunity to earn more snaps.

“But he’s gotta be relentless,” Venturi says.

10:52 a.m. — Jones launches a deep ball to Laquon Treadwell, who hauls it in, much to the delight of the Grand Park crowd. Venturi says he likes what he sees from Jones, who’s looked fluid in camp. He praises Jones for his remarkable recovery from a ruptured right Achilles tendon. The QB is about only eight months removed from surgery.

“He’s easily the most encouraging thing I’ve seen through the first five days of camp,” Venturi says. “He’s backed everything up. His arm has been great. He’s got great accuracy. He’s got great strength. They’ve moved him around with bootlegs and predetermined, play-action passes, and he’s held up there. Of course, it’ll look different once Alec (Pierce) is back. But as a coach, I always just focus on who’s out there right now, and right now, Jones is out there, and he looks good. It’s important that his legs are a part of his game because without that, our offense doesn’t look the same.”

10:55 a.m. — Venturi’s attention shifts to the backup QBs: Anthony Richardson Sr. and Riley Leonard. Richardson rips a pinpoint pass to rookie seventh-round pick Deion Burks, who catches the ball near the sideline for a first down. The play piques Venturi’s interest and makes him reflect on last year’s QB competition between Jones and Richardson.

“Danny Jones is our guy, but I still wouldn’t give up on AR,” Venturi says, referencing Richardson’s trade request. “I know there’s a lot going on, but there’s still that potential. And people forget, he’s a winning quarterback in this league (8-7 as a starter).”

Venturi also commends Leonard for the progress he’s made since last year’s training camp. The second-year QB has made better decisions with the ball, Venturi says, but the next step for him is to develop “Sunday accuracy.” (Richardson could use help in that department as well, Venturi adds.)

11:10 a.m. — Colts coach Shane Steichen barks out an order during another team drill, and Venturi addresses the elephant in the room: This could be Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard’s final season if they don’t turn things around. Venturi knows the feeling, having been relieved of his duties as Colts defensive coordinator in 1993 after the team finished 4-12.

Steichen is 25-26 through his first three seasons, and Ballard is 70-78-1 through his first nine years. The Colts haven’t made the playoffs in five seasons and haven’t won the AFC South since 2014.

Venturi recalls Colts principal owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon’s new team mantra, “Find a way,” which she revealed last week. If they don’t, changes could be on the way.

“As everybody knows, Carlie has basically put everybody on notice and rightfully so,” Venturi says. “We’re either gonna see the very best of everybody this year or the very worst.”

11:15 a.m. — Venturi starts to exit practice a little early “to go check on Mrs. Cheri.” After all, he says, he can sacrifice the last 15 minutes for 59 years of marriage. As he makes his way down the sideline, a fan from the stands yells Venturi’s name, but he doesn’t hear it. The old coach is too locked in on the action, trying to squeeze one more glimpse in before the grass is no longer under his feet.

“This is a way of life, or at least my way of life,” Venturi says. “Every day feels like the Super Bowl.”