This disappointing Colts start has led to the firings of the team’s top two offensive staffers — Frank Reich and OC Marcus Brady — and produced one of the more shocking interim hires in modern NFL history. Former Colts center and current ESPN analyst Jeff Saturday is now in charge.
Saturday said (via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, on Twitter) he is still determining who will call plays when the Colts face the Raiders on Sunday. Saturday, 47, said he will interview coaches on staff this week for this rather important role. Quarterbacks coach Scott Milanovich and running backs coach Scottie Montgomery, an ex-East Carolina HC whom the Panthers had on their OC radar this year, would seem the top candidates. Milanovich called plays as the Jaguars’ interim OC in 2018.
Sam Ehlinger will remain the team’s starting quarterback, Saturday said. The 2021 sixth-round pick has struggled since replacing Matt Ryan. The former MVP’s turnover woes and his 2023 injury guarantee contributed to the Colts’ Ehlinger promotion. Nick Foles remains on the roster and worked as Indianapolis’ backup to start this season. With Jim Irsay having helped drive Reich and Chris Ballard to bench Ryan, it is unsurprising Saturday will stick with Ehlinger.
Regarding Ballard’s role, Irsay said (via ESPN.com’s Field Yates, on Twitter) there is “no question” the GM will return in 2023. Irsay hired Ballard during Chuck Pagano‘s HC tenure, and the former Bears and Chiefs exec initially chose Josh McDaniels to be the Colts’ HC in 2018. The Reich backup plan worked well at points, but Andrew Luck‘s shocking 2019 retirement decision changed the franchise’s trajectory.
A coveted GM candidate prior to his 2017 Colts commitment, Ballard signed an extension last year. Of course, so did Reich. Ballard and Irsay did not appear in lockstep regarding the Reich firing, but the former said Monday night the Colts tried to hire Saturday to be their offensive line coach in both 2019 and this offseason, Pelissero tweets. The Colts also tried to give Saturday — a six-time Pro Bowler who played with the team from 1999-2011 — a front office position in 2012. Saturday instead signed with the Packers and wrapped his 15-year career that season. Saturday has been with ESPN since 2013.
The Colts bypassed former head coaches Gus Bradley and John Fox, who are respectively on staff in defensive coordinator and senior defensive assistant roles, for Saturday. Peyton Manning‘s longtime…