Jim Irsay is one of the league’s most eccentric owners.
So when news of Frank Reich’s firing came across the news wire on Monday it wasn’t all that surprising. The Colts are a disappointing 3-5-1 and have seen a dip in production after losing former offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni (Eagles) and defensive coordinator (Matt Eberflus) to head coaching jobs elsewhere. If anything, it is surprising that it took this long and that Irsay had this much patience to wait through nine games.
HOWEVA … hiring retired center Jeff Saturday as the interim head coach in Reich’s place bowled me over:
Excuse me … what!?
Saturday is a Colts legend. During his 13-year playing career in Indy, Saturday was a five-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All-Pro center. Saturday’s career with the Colts spanned from 1999 through 2011. He would then leave Indy for Green Bay in 2012 before retiring and beginning his career as an ESPN analyst in 2013. In the meantime, Saturday has been a consultant for the Colts in recent years. But now, he returns in what is much more of a full-time capacity. My mind is blown.
I’m not sure what to make of Indy’s moves. The AFC South should’ve been a winnable division. Are the Colts tanking? Is this part of a plan to land C.J. Stroud or Bryce Young? It might be better than whatever plans they had that led them to Philip Rivers, Carson Wentz, and Matt Ryan. Or is this one of those moves where an old friend comes home and rights the ship midseason? Whatever it is, it’s weird. Better yet, it’s oh so Jim Irsay.
