Jim Bob Cooter would be right to get out of working with the Indianapolis Colts should the right position open elsewhere. Indy might have a fantastic 2026, but the team is hoping that running it back with general manager Chris Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen will finally work. It might not.
In fact, Cooter might have an opportunity to jump off a potentially sinking ship for a team with a recent history of high-level success. The Indy OC reportedly interviewed with the Philadelphia Eagles this past weekend as Philly looks for a replacement for the fired Kevin Petullo.
Petullo needed to go. He somehow managed to turn a championship-level offense from 2024 into a mess in 2025. How he did it only he knows, but he is very unlikely to find another offensive coordinator job in the NFL for a long time to come. He doesn't deserve one.
Jim Bob Cooter interviewing with the Eagles makes Indianapolis Colts coach Shane Steichen look great
Jim Bob Cooter does, but the fact that he is even getting interviews for OC positions elsewhere tells Indianapolis fans everything they need about how the NFL views Shane Steichen. That would be highly regarded. Steichen's job was questioned by the end of the regular season, and he might not last as head coach past 2026, but he would find a job quickly in the league if he is fired in Indy.
Coordinators who work under embattled coaches don't tend to be viewed highly. Not when it comes to Steichen. How good a head coach he is remains unknown (he is 7-22 versus teams with winning records in his first three seasons with the Colts), but as an offensive mind, he has a lot of fans.
So much so that Cooter is getting some attention for possibly promotions with other teams. While Cooter is currently the offensive coordinator for Indianapolis, and his potential move to the Philadelphia Eagles would appear to be a lateral one, that is far from reality.
With the Colts, Cooter doesn't make the offensive play-calls. Steichen does. With a new team, Cooter would be the one who makes those calls. He would also have a lot more control over offensive direction than he does in Indy, as Steichen is truly in charge of the offense.
The fact that Jim Bob Cooter is interviewing the Eagles specifically also speaks volumes about Shane Steichen. Steichen was the OC for Philly in 2021 and 2022, and obviously, the Eagles still like him. So much so that they are willing to speak to one of his acolytes about an important position.
It is also interesting that the Indianapolis Colts are allowing Cooter to interview for the same position he currently holds for a different team, but the Eagles could put an associate head coach label on Cooter, and that would serve as the promotion. Meanwhile, Shane Steichen would still be trying to mold the Colts' offense into a consistently dangerous one.