Colts hire of Jeff Saturday sends poor message inside building
The Indianapolis Colts tabbed former All-Pro center Jeff Saturday as their interim head coach on Monday, and it says plenty to everyone in the building.
You can’t coach, and you have no future here.
That’s the message Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay sent to every high-level coach on his staff Monday morning when he fired head coach Frank Reich and replaced him with Jeff Saturday.
Saturday, a 13-year veteran who reached six Pro Bowls and was a two-time First-Team All-Pro as a player in Indianapolis was a fine center who merits Hall of Fame consideration. However, he’s never coached at the college or professional level. Tagging him as the interim over men such as defensive coordinator Gus Bradley and special teams guru Bubba Ventrone — who have 41 years of experience between them — is a stunner and an insult to everyone already on the staff.
“Most shocking hire in my 30+ years in this league,” texted one NFL source to FanSided upon hearing the news.”
Indianapolis is 3-5-1 with no quarterback and no real hope of a turnaround. Firing Reich after the last few years is understandable, as the Colts haven’t won a playoff game since his first season of 2018. Irsay was justified in that decision, but hiring Saturday is far more puzzling on myriad fronts.
Another important issue at play requires a broader scope.
In a league with only six Black or biracial head coaches, the Colts handed the job to an unqualified white coach. And while Irsay can talk about Saturday being a legend in Indianapolis who fans will like, he could have hired Reggie Wayne if he wanted to take that course. Wayne is currently the receivers coach and had every bit the career Saturday did and then some.
There are other coaches of color on the staff who also deserve a chance including running backs coach Scottie Montgomery, who was the East Carolina head coach from 2016-18 before coming to the NFL and helping Jonathan Taylor become an All-Pro talent. All told, Montgomery has 17 years as a coach on his resumè.
This move can certainly be seen as a tanking maneuver. While Saturday may have a brilliant football mind, he’s never been anywhere close to this seat, perhaps the toughest assignment football has to offer.
“I’m sure this guarantees the No. 1 overall pick and the Ohio State quarterback,” another league source told FanSided.
To that end, the Colts have work to do. The Houston Texans only have one win and appear in no rush to earn many more this season. Indianapolis could lose out and still not get C.J. Stroud from the Buckeyes, although in a rookie crop loaded with quarterback talent, the Colts should have a few terrific options.
Ultimately, Irsay’s move, regardless of his true intent, is odorous. It leaves the remainder of his current staff with bewilderment and undoubtedly, anger in some corners. His choice says plenty about what he thinks of the men already in the building without Irsay having to voice it out loud. And while perhaps Irsay felt going with Saturday would be headline-grabbing and a worthwhile experiment, the whole notion misses the larger point.
There are coaches in Indianapolis who have waited a lifetime for such an opportunity, toiling over long hours, trying to earn such a moment. Saturday was given it.
On Sunday, the Colts play the Las Vegas Raiders. Last year, the Raiders replaced Jon Gruden with special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia, a man with 20 years of NFL experience who was never seen as a head-coaching candidate. Yet Bisaccia, who took over one of the worst situations in football last season, posted a 7-5 record and improbably took Las Vegas to the postseason.
In the offseason, owner Mark Davis never seriously considered Bisaccia, and instead hired Josh McDaniels. The Raiders are currently 2-6, worse than the Colts.
On Saturday, Indianapolis’ staff will board a plane for Vegas hoping to earn a win.
But they’ll do so knowing their owner doesn’t believe in them. Knowing their future is elsewhere.