Could Tom Cable be the next Colts head coach?
Chuck Pagano is surely set for his last game as Indianapolis Colts head coach, but Tom Cable would hardly be an exciting replacement.
Chuck Pagano is effectively done as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. He has clearly accepted that fate, pointing to Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans as the “last rodeo” for the team. Three straight non-playoff seasons, and at best a 4-12 record this year as Andrew Luck missed the entire season with a shoulder issue, means Pagano’s sixth season as Colts’ head coach will be his last.
Coincidentally or not, the Colts have taken a downturn since the AFC Championship Game that brought us “DeflateGate.” Luck missing 26 games over the last three seasons has been a big factor in that, but his absence has exposed talent deficiencies on the rest of the roster.
Owner Jim Irsay is surely a challenge to work for. But with Luck expected to be healthy by the start of next season and some other good players in place, the Colts can offer an appealing situation to head coaching candidates. It’s hard to say a “home run hire” is coming, but surely the Colts can aim higher than an initial reported candidate for the job.
If there is an opening in Indy (as expected), I'm told Seahawks OL coach Tom Cable will get serious consideration
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) December 30, 2017
Michael Silver of NFL Network is suggesting Tom Cable will get serious consideration for the looming head coaching opportunity in Indianapolis. Cable has been working under Pete Carroll as offensive line coach/assistant head coach since 2011. He deserves a ton of credit for making something close to filet mignon out of what starts out as mince meat nearly every season, as the Seahawks ignore investing in their offensive line.
Cable has the distinction of being the last head coach Al Davis fired, after a 17-27 record over two-plus seasons (2008-2010) with the Oakland Raiders. Before that he was Oakland’s offensive line coach, for one full season and part of the next before he replaced Lane Kiffin as head coach, and the Raiders had top-10 rushing offenses in 2007 and 2008 behind his offensive line pupils.
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The Colts can definitely use someone to help their offensive line. Luck took a beating until his body finally started breaking down, and Jacoby Brissett has taken the most sacks in the league this year entering Week 17 (51). That doesn’t mean Cable should be their next head coach, but if he gets in front of Irsay and wows him general manager Chris Ballard’s input to the contrary may be rendered useless.