Colts: Matt Eberflus already getting requests to be interviewed is a bad sign
By Jerry Trotta
Colts DC Matt Eberflus already has teams lining up to interview him for their head coaching vacancies.
The Indianapolis Colts certainly made it more difficult than it needed to be, but they ultimately got the job done and qualified for the playoffs following their win over Jacksonville, coupled with Miami’s loss. It wasn’t quite enough to win the division crown, and that has them slated with a daunting wild card matchup against Buffalo, the hottest team in football during their six-game winning streak.
While it obviously wasn’t the most favorable draw, the Colts should consider themselves lucky they even got in following their shambolic second half collapse last weekend. This is simply what happens when you save clinching for the last week of the regular season: having to stop Josh Allen and the Bills’ unstoppable offense, which has scored a ridiculous 36.3 points per game over the last nine weeks.
As a silver lining, defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus has proven time and time again to be capable of slowing down elite offenses, and fans will be hoping he’s up to the challenge again. However, it’s worth pondering that his mind could be elsewhere, as two teams (the Texans and Jets) have formally requested to interview him for their head coaching vacancies.
The Jets and Texans have requested to interview Colts DC Matt Eberflus for their head coaching position, source confirms. @TomPelissero first to report.
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) January 4, 2021
Eberflus is a consummate professional, so he will surely be fully focused on Buffalo, but you’d be hard-pressed to deny that this news doesn’t bode well for the Colts’ chances at keeping him beyond the postseason.
The 50-year-old coordinator was rumored to become a popular head coaching candidate pretty much since Indianapolis started gaining steam as one of the league’s elite defenses. Though the group tailed off towards the end of the year, it still ranked eighth in yards per game (332.1) and yards per play (5.4) as well as 10th in points (22.6). It also finished second against the run, allowing just 90.5 yards per game.
The #Jets and #Texans have put in requests to interview #Colts DC Matt Eberflus for their head coaching jobs, per sources. A hot candidate.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 4, 2021
The Colts’ defense has made significant improvements in each of his three seasons at the helm, two of which resulted in playoff berths, and we’re honestly surprised it took this long for teams to start recognizing him as a legitimate head coaching candidate.
This report obviously doesn’t confirm that Eberflus will leave, but if the right team comes along and makes him a lucrative offer, there’s probably a good chance he takes it. According to league guidelines, interviews can only be conducted virtually until Indianapolis is eliminated from the playoffs. Once that happens, the touted DC will be free to meet with any team in person.
