The Colts lost seven of their final eight games, finishing 4-12-1. The team had not lost seven games to close out a campaign since its inaugural season in 1953. But Jim Irsay still looks to be pushing to keep Jeff Saturday, the interim head coach he stunned the NFL by hiring in November.
Saturday is going through his second interview Wednesday, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter, who adds as many as seven candidates will advance to the second round of interviews (Twitter link). That list includes Ejiro Evero, and ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano tweets Rams DC Raheem Morris will receive an in-person meeting. The Colts held virtual interviews with 13 candidates — the most of any HC-seeking team this year — but Irsay was not involved in those sessions. He will be there for the second interviews.
Irsay said in November he hoped Saturday would stay on as a full-time HC, and although no team has made an interim coach a full-time hire since the Jaguars removed Doug Marrone‘s interim tag in 2017, CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson notes Irsay is still pushing for Saturday. More pushback has emerged, however. Just as Irsay confidants attempted to dissuade him from hiring Saturday two months ago, Anderson adds (via Twitter) those close to the owner are again attempting to convince him Saturday is the wrong choice.
Indianapolis should also be expected to meet with Eric Bieniemy and special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone for a second time. Each remains in the mix, Graziano adds, though no second interviews with either have been scheduled. Bieniemy has generated extensive OC interest around the league, being connected to open jobs and likely on the radar for some that will soon be available, but ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes the longtime Chiefs OC is focused on potential HC gigs. Only the Colts, however, have interviewed him for their job.
Some around the league believe this will come down to Bieniemy or Saturday, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk adds. Considering the backlash both the Saturday hire and Bieniemy’s extended time on the HC carousel have each generated, the Colts choosing Saturday in that instance would create more controversy.
Andy Reid has been the Chiefs’ primary play-caller since 2013, and while Bieniemy has been labeled as a poor interviewer at points during his long run as Reid’s right-hand man, the fifth-year OC has been in place in this role throughout Patrick Mahomes‘ QB1 stay. Considering Mahomes is about to win a second MVP award and will do so after the Chiefs traded Tyreek Hill, that should reflect well on Bieniemy. Judging by the Arizona, Carolina, Denver and Houston searches, however, teams are not closely connecting the Reid lieutenant to such success. Bieniemy and Colts GM Chris Ballard worked together during the latter’s time in the Chiefs’ front office, though Fowler adds the Saturday-Irsay relationship continues to loom over this process.
Ballard ran the first set of Colts HC interviews, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes, adding that Carlie Irsay-Gordon (Jim’s daughter) has played a key role throughout this process as well. Ballard attempted to talk Irsay out of the Saturday hire in November and admitted as much this month. It should be expected the seventh-year GM will keep pushing for a different hire, but Irsay obviously will make the final call. This process should drag into next week, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com adds (video link).
Saturday promised extensive changes if he were to land the full-time job. He offered ex-Frank Reich staffers Scott Milanovich and Scottie Montgomery OC duties, but each turned down the job. That led to assistant quarterbacks coach Parks Frazier receiving the opportunity. The Colts started three QBs during Saturday’s stay (Matt Ryan, Nick Foles, Sam Ehlinger) but only won one game under interim coach. The team’s NFL-record collapse in Minnesota and other shaky performances did not exactly give Saturday momentum coming out of the season. If Irsay bucks staffers’ advice and goes in this direction again, it would make for one of the most interesting decisions in coaching history.
WHY
Do they drug test owners?? He’s embarrassing himself and the team!
He is now replaced Steve Keim formerly of Arizona as the New Drunk on the block with all clouded decisions. Soon the Colts will be offering discount season tickets. Just ask Cards owner Bill Bidcheap
I’m not sure if Bieniemy is an upgrade over Saturday so Irsay may be on to something
Bieniemy has been offensive coordinator for Andy Reid and another five years on his staff before that. He coordinated a super bowl winning team. He had a decade of coaching experience at the college level or higher before that. Saturday had a short, losing track record at the high school level before being flung into an interim HC level by an impetuous owner who’d gone off the rails. Bieniemy has actual qualifications. There’s zero reason to think he wouldn’t be an upgrade over Saturday.
Except Bieniemy doesn’t call plays.. also at Colorado had numerous allegations against him.. he’s had plenty of interviews in recent years.. he’s obviously doing something wrong..
Bieniemy calls plays part of the time, just as Pederson did under Reid. Sirianni didn’t call plays under Reich. Reich didn’t call plays under Pederson. The allegations and interview questions are a separate matter (and interviewing is a different skill than doing a job–a lot of bad hires interview well). He still has meaningful qualifications, whereas Saturday still has a meaningful lack thereof.
Pederson actually took over play calling duties completely under Reid at one point when the Chiefs were struggling. That’s what got him a head coaching job.
He’s an upgrade at least by virtue of looking like less of an embarrasment to the org.
I like Jim Irsay as an owner from the standpoint of his generosity, community and fan involvement and passion to win. That being said, he still views his team and the NFL as if it was still when he was the general manager decades ago. The league, the X’s and O’s and the game itself have evolved, but he sadly hasn’t.
For the good of his team and to allow it to return to a perennial contender, he needs to step aside and let Ballard rebuild this coaching staff and roster. If he cannot trust Ballard to do that, then he needs to find someone (other than himself) that he can trust to do it.
Irsay wants to hire the familiar guy he already feels comfortable with–the same approach that made Bidwell keep Steve Keim as GM for so long.
The players voted and Irsay has been named Assistant kicking tee manager
Then why hire a GM if you’re going to push for your own guy? It would be one thing if Ballard had reached a decision and Irsay didn’t agree with it, but Irsay hasn’t even met with any other candidates yet.
By and large, more successful owners hire the right decision-makers and generally let them then make the decisions.
Irsay is a total joke. He might as well just give himself the GM title and accept all of the associated backlash. He has totally destroyed this once great franchise. Saturday isn’t a serious candidate. Bieniemy has been universally rejected as a HC candidate by NFL front offices. This franchise is spiraling the drain.
Irsay is just like his drunken father, telling coaches who to play and plays to call. The once great franchise was destroyed when Bob Irsay pulled it out of Baltimore in the middle of the night. Indy would have been better off with a different owner and an expansion team. The town and fans deserve better. Maybe Peyton can get a conglomerate together to buy the franchise one day soon. Otherwise it will continue to be a clown show.
Perhaps Irsay and his advisors can reach a compromise where Jeff gets to be HC for all games played on Saturday.
Now this one i got unlike the David Wilson one
Saturday is just as deserving of the title “Head Coach” as Burrow is of “Best NFL QB” … and it’s only coincidence they’re both in those conversations for the same reason
Deion is a head coach in the PAC-12. Sometimes you look past the intangibles!
Looks like the Colts are getting ready to make their next big mistake. Its been nothing but a mess since they let Andrew Luck down.
I would be pissed if I was a Colts fan and saw this headline, clearly they need someone new in there
Whether you agree with the choice to hire him or not, that he needs an interview yet alone a second interview at this point is ridiculous.
Problem with Bieniemy is anyone could be offensive coordinator, with Andy Reid calling plays and Mahomes at QB. His interview skills are extra important to know what he would bring to a team as head coach.