In a move that no one saw coming, the Indianapolis Colts have named Jeff Saturday as the interim head coach after firing Frank Reich.
On Monday morning, the Indianapolis Colts announced that they were firing head coach Frank Reich. However, the franchise didn’t immediately name an interim head coach. Well, now it has been announced that franchise legend, Jeff Saturday, will be the interim head coach for the remainder of the season. This move shocked everyone because Saturday wasn’t officially on Indy’s staff and has very limited coaching experience.
After retiring from the NFL at the conclusion of the 2012 season, Saturday transitioned into a career on television, working for ESPN as an analyst and also was the head coach of the Hebron Christian Academy football team in Dacula, Georgia. He also has worked with Indianapolis as a consultant but doesn’t have any official coaching experience in college or the NFL.
Of course, that will now change as Saturday takes over for the Colts for the remainder of the season.
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
Colts hire Jeff Saturday as interim coach
Saturday rose to prominence with the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent who developed into an elite lineman. Joining Indy in 1999, he played with the franchise during the glory days of the Peyton Manning era up until 2011. As the team’s starting center, Saturday was a six-time Pro Bowler and a four-time All-Pro player. He also was a part of Indy’s Super Bowl 41 team and was inducted into the Colts Ring of Honor in 2015.
Saturday’s expertise as a lineman is something Indianapolis can use since the team’s offensive line has been the worst part of the team this season. Aside from that, this is a move that has baffled everyone, and Saturday will surely have his work cut out for him for the next eight games. The Colts have talent but they haven’t proven to be a good football team this year, and as things currently stand, the coaching staff doesn’t have anyone who has ever called plays in the NFL before.
Jeff Saturday beat the odds as an undersized, undrafted free agent in Indianapolis, but taking over this 3-5-1 Colts team without any professional or college coaching experience may be an even bigger task.
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