After a season full of struggles on the offensive side of the football that already led to starting quarterback Matt Ryan getting benched and offensive coordinator Marcus Brady losing his job even though he didn’t even call the plays, the Indianapolis Colts finally decided to fire head coach Frank Reich. While the decision to fire the head coach might not have been all that shocking, the team’s choice of interim head coach certainly was.
On Monday afternoon, NFL league insider Adam Schefter of ESPN revealed that the team was expected to name former Colts legend Jeff Saturday as its interim head coach, despite his extremely limited coaching experience and the fact that he is currently employed by ESPN.
Breaking: Colts are naming their former six-time Pro-Bowl C and ESPN analyst Jeff Saturday as their interim head coach. Saturday has been a consultant for the team, is in its Ring Of Honor, and also was head coach for the Hebron Christian Academy football team in Dacula, Georgia. pic.twitter.com/VEmHOeSrFR
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 7, 2022
“Breaking: Colts are naming their former six-time Pro-Bowl C and ESPN analyst Jeff Saturday as their interim head coach. Saturday has been a consultant for the team, is in its Ring Of Honor, and also was head coach for the Hebron Christian Academy football team in Dacula, Georgia,” Schefter said on Twitter.
Here's the breaking news on SportsCenter that ESPN NFL analyst Jeff Saturday has shockingly been named interim head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. 🏈 pic.twitter.com/daWWV8kH3I
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 7, 2022
It’s an absolutely stunning move, and the NFL world had plenty to say about it on Twitter.
the colts decision-making the entire season https://t.co/M9xVPAk0Dz pic.twitter.com/b3tofhJ55U
— Joe Ali (@JoeAli) November 7, 2022
Excuse me? https://t.co/LqeyZsvTDf
— Brett Kollmann (@BrettKollmann) November 7, 2022
Last time a person took over as an NFL coach without any coaching experience at any level, to my knowledge, was Norm van Brocklin in 1961. https://t.co/mYZogH4Cg2
— Bill Barnwell (@billbarnwell) November 7, 2022
Imagine being a Black assistant NFL coach, working for years in the league, wondering if you'll ever get a chance to be a head coach, and then seeing this. https://t.co/LbCe24eRs6
— Michael Rosenberg (@Rosenberg_Mike) November 7, 2022
Surreal to hear @HannahStormESPN on SportsCenter say "our colleague Jeff Saturday, who was supposed to join this program, has apparently been named interim head coach" #Colts https://t.co/cNfRckn9zY
— Vanessa Richardson (@SportsVanessa) November 7, 2022
Haha what?! https://t.co/sPDgiUjAT1
— Evan Roberts (@EvanRobertsWFAN) November 7, 2022
Wait, so in a two-week span the Colts bench their veteran starting QB for a guy who probably should still be a third QB, fire their offensive coordinator, fire their head coach …
… and now they're hiring a former player whose only coaching experience is in high school?!?? https://t.co/plqjFQHY1Z
— Ralph Vacchiano (@RalphVacchiano) November 7, 2022
It’s certainly a bold move from the Colts, we’ll have to see how that works out for them this season.