Who is going to saddle up — and settle down — with the Colts in 2023?
Colts owner Jim Irsay isn’t exactly one to make the conventional hire, leading to a bit of organizational tumult. That much has been evidenced by his last 1 1/2 choices at head coach, Josh McDaniels and Jeff Saturday. While McDaniels never actually coached a Colts game, his replacement, Frank Reich, lasted just over four seasons. Reich offered diminishing returns at the helm until he replaced by longtime Indy center Jeff Saturday this year.
With Saturday’s Colts slipping to a miserable 1-7 record to end the season and a 4-12-1 record overall, Irsay and GM Chris Ballard may look in other directions to steer the Colts in the right direction.
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So far, the reported candidates have been fairly tame, which seems to be a step in the right direction for the organization: Rising stars and veteran names fill out the interview list, which should be a somewhat comforting thought for Colts fans.
Here’s what we know about the search:
Colts coaching rumors
Colts start with four candidates, but more to come
Date: Jan. 9
Source: Tom Pelissero, NFL Network
The Colts have cast their net, likely of the “wide” variety: Aaron Glenn (Lions DC), Shane Steichen (Eagles OC), Ben Johnson (Lions OC) and Raheem Morris (Rams DC) have all been requested for interviews.
Given that all four candidates’ teams aren’t in the playoffs, they can interview immediately. It’s unclear if all interviews will be granted by their respective teams. The Colts search is, as expected, going to be “extensive.”
Jeff Saturday makes pitch to stay aboard
Date: Jan. 9
Source: Jeff Saturday, Colts interim coach
Jeff Saturday will likely have the interim tag removed from his title — but it won’t be replaced with anything. On Monday, the Colts interim coach made his pitch to stay on with the Colts.
“I have a very clear vision of how I can turn this team around,” Saturday said. … “If I get this job, there’s going to be significant change. The way I do things is not the way it’s been done.”
Jeff Saturday is a ‘serious candidate’ for Colts gig
Date: Jan. 9
Source: Tom Pelissero, NFL Network
It’s unclear whether or not Saturday will remain the coach for the Colts, but Jim Irsay is taking Saturday’s candidacy seriously. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Saturday is someone Irsay likes “a lot” and thus remains a “serious candidate” for the position.
Colts coaching interviews
According to numerous reports, here’s the list of coaches who are set to interview, or have interviewed, with the Colts for their head coaching gig:
- Aaron Glenn, Lions defensive coordinator;
- Shane Steichen, Eagles offensive coordinator;
- Ben Johnson, Lions offensive coordinator;
- Raheem Morris, Rams defensive coordinator.
