Indianapolis, IN
Chris Ballard goes on expletive-filled rant to defend ‘pissed’ second-round pick Adonai Mitchell
INDIANAPOLIS — Adonai Mitchell’s phone finally started ringing on Friday night. Colts general manager Chris Ballard was on the phone with what he hoped would be good news.
Mitchell’s family began to celebrate, but Mitchell left the jubilation to them. He had a different feeling simmering inside.
“Right now, the only thing I’m kinda feeling now is I’m kind of pissed,” Mitchell said. “I don’t know what other way to call it.”
Mitchell was projected to go late in the first round by some mock drafts but was not one of the seven receivers taken in it. He was the fourth receiver off the board in the second round, after the Colts traded back from No. 46 with the Panthers to No. 52 and made him their first offensive selection of the draft.
“At the end of the day, people were chosen before me. That’s just the reality of it,” Mitchell said. “My job now is to make them pay.”
Mitchell had some first-round buzz for obvious reasons: He ran a 4.34-second 40-yard dash, good for third among all receivers at this year’s NFL Scouting Combine. Throw in a 39.5-inch vertical jump and a 136-inch broad jump, and he posted a score of 9.99 out of 10.00 on the Relative Athletic Score, which compares all combine participants since 1987.
But the reasons he slipped aren’t hard to find either: Mitchell had just one year of big production after transferring from Georgia. He also came with concerns about his preparation, attitude and interviews with teams, as expressed by anonymous NFL scouts to longtime journalist Bob McGinn of Go Long as well as on NFL Network during the draft broadcast.
The Colts decided to take him after a small trade back, with hopes that he can compete with Alec Pierce to be the team’s starting ‘Z’ receiver and deep-ball specialist for second-year passer Anthony Richardson.
Moments after the pick, general manager Chris Ballard delivered a profane defense of his newest receiver against those anonymous scouting reports.
“I read some of the (expletive) that was said on TV, just some of the typical (expletive) — excuse my language — just our typical league: unnamed sources, bad interviews. That’s such (expletive),” Ballard said. “It just (expletive) is. It’s (expletive). Put your name on it. I’m tired of it.
“We tear these young men down. These are 21- or 22-year-old young men. If people out there can tell me they’re perfect in their lives. It’s crap. It’s crap. This is a good kid. For those reports to come out — I said it last year. It’s (expletive). I’m sorry. I apologize. I don’t, but I do.”
Mitchell’s entrance into the NFL is laced with chippiness, which the Colts believe is in some ways essential to his makeup and any chances of reaching the ceiling within those athletic traits. They have popped in some of the biggest games of his life so far, including in the College Football Playoff and against Alabama. But now, the challenge is drilling that fury down into a day-to-day professionalism and consistency that can sustain a career at the highest level.
That’s where they hope the match with receivers coach Reggie Wayne can work. Wayne brings fire to the role but also a relatability as a six-time Pro Bowl receiver with the Colts who won a Super Bowl and is regularly in the running for the Hall-of-Fame.
“He’s competitive. He’s like any young player: They get built up so big now, especially in college football with NIL and all the stuff they go through,” Ballard said. “Sometimes, a little adversity, a little humbleness is a good thing. I think he’ll respond good to it.”
It’s time to get to work. In Mitchell’s eyes, he’s bringing a simple skill set to the Colts and to the NFL:
“The best,” he said.
Contact Nate Atkins at natkins@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @NateAtkins_.
TONIGHT
Partly cloudy and cooler with lows dropping into the low 50s. An east northeast breeze around 5 to 10 mph eases a bit overnight, and the quiet weather pattern holds with no rain concerns.
TOMORROW
Mostly sunny with a pleasant late May feel and highs in the upper 70s. Winds stay light from the east southeast around 5 mph, and the day looks dry from start to finish with comfortable humidity for outdoor plans.
TOMORROW NIGHT
Mostly cloudy and milder with lows near 60. Winds go calm for a time, and it stays quiet across central Indiana with an easy overnight setup and no meaningful weather issues.
MONDAY
Mostly sunny and a touch warmer with highs around 80. A light northeast breeze around 5 mph develops in the afternoon, and this continues to look like one of the cleanest days of the stretch for being outside.
MONDAY NIGHT
Mostly clear and seasonably mild with lows in the upper 50s. Light northeast wind around 5 mph fades later in the evening, and dry weather holds through the night.
TUESDAY
Sunny and pleasant again with highs in the upper 70s. An east northeast breeze around 5 to 10 mph, with a few gusts close to 20 mph, adds a little movement to the air, but the overall feel stays comfortable and quiet.
TUESDAY NIGHT
Clear and cool with lows in the mid 50s. Winds become light and variable, and this looks like another calm overnight stretch with no weather trouble.
WEDNESDAY
Sunny and warm with highs around the upper 70s to near 80. Wind stays light, becoming east northeast around 5 mph in the afternoon, and the dry stretch continues with another solid day for outdoor plans.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT
Mostly clear and mild with lows near the upper 50s. Light and variable wind keeps the night quiet, and the settled pattern stays in place.
7 DAY FORECAST
The broader pattern stays very calm through the middle of next week, with dry weather favored and temperatures running close to average for the end of May and start of June. Highs generally hold in the upper 70s to low 80s, nights stay in the 50s, and the next better rain chance does not arrive until next Saturday. That means several straight days of usable weather across Indianapolis before the pattern turns more active again later next weekend.
Indianapolis, IN
IndyCar driver Felix Rosenqvist had the busiest week after winning the Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500 is kind of unusual in that it’s the biggest race the series has to offer, and it comes in the middle of the season after an entire month of preparation.
That’s exhausting, and for the winner, attaining a lifelong dream like that means one thing: one hell of a wild week before you have to do it all over again.
IndyCar is in Detroit this week for the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix, but Rosenqvist hasn’t had much downtime since the biggest win of his career.
Felix Rosenqvist reacts after winning the NTT IndyCar Series 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Ind., on May 24, 2026. (James Gilbert/Getty Images)
According to IndyCar, immediately after winning the race, Rosenqvist’s media obligations got under way and those continued for several hours after the race.
Then, on Monday, he had more interviews and a photo session and the Victory Celebration that night.
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Then it was on to New York for more interviews, trips to the Empire State Building, Times Square, and even the red-carpet premiere of Indy 500 Grand Marshal Brendan Fraser’s new movie, “Pressure.”
On top of that, he still had more to do in Indy and threw out the first pitch at a Tigers game ahead of the Detroit Grand Prix weekend.
Felix Rosenqvist, driver of the No. 60 Meyer Shank with Curb-Agajanian Honda, crosses the finish line to win the 110th Indianapolis 500 ahead of David Malukas on May 24, 2026, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Ind. (James Gilbert/Getty Images)
I’m exhausted typing that. He lived it, and still has to race this weekend.
And, oh yeah, this is coming about two weeks after he became a father.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
“Obviously, (I’m) tired, but I had fun with it,” he said. “(There were) a lot of interviews, but you’ve got to strike when the iron is hot, right? Also, I feel like I’m representing motorsports in a way maybe we normally (can’t). It’s kind of cool. It’s good for the sport.”
Meyer Shank Racing’s Felix Rosenqvist poses with his Indianapolis 500-winning car. (© Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
It’s great for the sport, and especially after the closest finish in Indy 500 history and one of the most exciting. It’s also great to ride the momentum and get back to racing as soon as possible.
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Rosenqvist will look to become the first driver to win the next race after winning the Indy 500 in quite some time, but he’ll have to do it from the middle of the pack. He’ll start the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix in P16.
Championship leader Alex Palou starts on pole with Will Power alongside him on the front row in P2.
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Circle City Orchestra will close its 2025-26 season with a special “Sound Bites” concert on Sunday.
The concert begins at 4 p.m. at the Athenaeum’s Basile Theatre. Admission is free, with a suggested donation to support the nonprofit, all-volunteer orchestra and “keep the music going.”
Craig Mince, president of the Athenaeum, said the venue has been home to the orchestra for several years — a connection that runs deeper than most might expect. The Athenaeum once hosted a full-time orchestra of its own, and welcoming Circle City Orchestra back into the space has felt like a natural homecoming.
“We love having them,” Mince said. “It harkens back to an old Athenaeum orchestra that used to be in the building full-time. We’re happy to have music back in the building again.”
Phil Kranyak, principal cellist with the orchestra, started playing cello in third grade but stepped away from the instrument for 17 years before joining Circle City Orchestra. He said the group’s welcoming culture made the return feel seamless.
“We are inclusive in every sense of the word,” Kranyak said. “Whether you’re picking up an instrument for the first time or coming back after a long pause, it is so easy to step into this orchestra.”
Andrew Wu, an oboist who joined about a year ago, had a similar experience. Wu played violin, saxophone, and oboe through graduate school before taking a roughly 10-year break. He said the orchestra gave him a meaningful way to reconnect with both music and community.
“Music is such an important part of people’s lives,” Wu said. “Being able to express yourself through music and connect with a greater audience — and within your own orchestra — is just wonderful.”
The orchestra says it is always looking for new musicians.
Rehearsals are held every Wednesday at the Athenaeum, and new faces are always welcome. Mince said nearly every rehearsal brings at least one first-time attendee, and the orchestra embraces that.
Musicians do not need to commit to a full season – the orchestra asks only that members participate in rehearsals for the concert cycle they plan to perform in.
Concert Details
- ❓: Circle City Orchestra “Sound Bites” End-of-Season Concert.
- ⏰: 4 p.m. Sunday.
- 📍: The Athenaeum’s Basile Theatre, 401 E. Michigan St.
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