The Indianapolis Colts fired head coach Frank Reich on Monday, a move that wasn’t that surprising given the team’s struggles this season, although it feels like the franchise’s problems stem from quarterback choice.
I’m getting off track here. Because we’re here to focus on what happened after the firing: The Colts then announced Reich’s interim replacement. His name? Jeff Saturday.
Yes, as in former Colts center Jeff Saturday. As in ESPN analyst Jeff Saturday.
His head coaching credentials? He coached Hebron Christian Academy’s squad for a few seasons. He’s “consulted” for his former team for a few years.
YIKES. NOT GOOD! NFL fans agreed:
Uh-oh
Here’s one of the biggest issues that new Colts’ interim HC will encounter once he arrives in Indianapolis later today: no one on his staff has called NFL plays before. It will be one of Saturday’s first orders of business, figuring out who will call plays Sunday vs. the Raiders. https://t.co/MGiy2TmIWS
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 7, 2022
Jeff Saturday was 20-16 in three seasons as head coach at Hebron Christian Academy, if you were wondering. HCA, in Dacula, Georgia, has an enrollment of 1,100 students.
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) November 7, 2022
As best as I can tell, Jeff Saturday becomes the first person in NFL history to be named a head coach without any coaching experience at either the NFL or college level.
He now takes over in Indy.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) November 7, 2022
Why would Jeff Saturday do this? Everyone has an ego but he is smart enough to know this is ridiculous and the odds of him becoming a punch line are fairly high
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) November 7, 2022
Jeff Saturday is the first NFL head coach with no college or pro coaching experience since Norm Van Brocklin went from 1960 NFL MVP with the Eagles to coach of the Vikings in 1961.
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) November 7, 2022
Jeff Saturday after jokingly applying for the job and actually getting it: pic.twitter.com/W495GJgQld
— Carlton Banks’ Burner (@cbanksburner) November 7, 2022
To those who claim Jeff Saturday has no play calling experience https://t.co/Jfb5FLzXhR
— Steve Palazzolo (@PFF_Steve) November 7, 2022
The Colts bypass two former NFL head coaches already on staff — Gus Bradley, John Fox — and a rising head-coaching candidate in Bubba Ventrone, to name former center Jeff Saturday the interim coach.
That is a real sentence.
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) November 7, 2022
Here's the breaking news on SportsCenter that ESPN NFL analyst Jeff Saturday has shockingly been named interim head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. 🏈 pic.twitter.com/daWWV8kH3I
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 7, 2022
Jeff Saturday hearing the news pic.twitter.com/aW5bpjs5SX
— 🍂sports tweeter Matthias🍂 (tone setter) (@KryzivenTake2) November 7, 2022
JEFF SATURDAY DOES NOT HAVE A COACHING SECTION ON HIS WIKIPEDIA PAGE
— tranner mordecai (@dirtbagqueer) November 7, 2022
I say this as a fan of Jeff Saturday the player and person: it's absolutely ridiculous that he's the head coach of an NFL team.
— Derek Schultz (@Schultz975) November 7, 2022
BREAKING: "Jeff Saturday will be the Indianapolis Colts interim Head Coach" ~@RapSheet
🗣HERE WE GO @SaturdayJeff#PMSOverreactionMonday #ForTheShoe pic.twitter.com/XZm76kSu8i
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) November 7, 2022