The Indianapolis Colts have been conducting interviews with the finalists for the head coach vacancy, and the process is expected to wrap up relatively soon.
While it could take a little more time depending on who the front-runner for the job is, we know of seven candidates who are in the running to become the next head coach of the Colts.
We’ve got you covered with the latest updates in the coaching search via our tracker.
The search includes a wide variety of minds. There seems to be no emphasis on either side of the ball, and several of the candidates have experience working both with offense and defense.
If any more names are added to the list of finalists, we will adjust this ranking accordingly.
As the Colts narrow down their finalists, here’s a ranking of the candidates for the head coach vacancy:
7
Jeff Saturday
Saturday was a fantastic player for the Colts, but they shouldn’t want him to be the next head coach. In any other situation, Saturday wouldn’t even be considered for this role. His connection with Jim Irsay is the only reason he’s still in the running and the reason why he could be a finalist. Fans even made a petition against hiring the former center as the next head coach. Saturday’s lack of coaching experience, and his struggles as an interim head coach leading the Colts to a 1-7 record over the final eight games—with the second-worst point differential in the league—should be enough to keep him off the list. However, Irsay’s recent string of impulsive decisions makes Saturday’s candidacy unpredictable even if he shouldn’t be considered for the job.
6
Wink Martindale
It was a bit of a surprise to see Martindale get a second interview, but he must have impressed during his first meeting with the Colts. Martindale is a fantastic defensive mind and a strong leader. He has the qualities necessary to be a head coach in the NFL, and hiring him would be intriguing, but his seeming lack of desire to hold that role is why he’s so low on this list.
5
Rich Bisaccia
Make no mistake, Bisaccia was interviewed for a reason. He’s able to command a room with ease, and his players love competing for him. Though he’s a special teams mind, Bisaccia is highly regarded around the league, and he’s been doing it for a long time. He’s been coaching in the NFL as a special teams coordinator since 2002 and has held roles such as assistant head coach and interim head coach throughout his career. He was the interim head coach for the Las Vegas Raiders after Jon Gruden was fired in 2021, leading the team to a 7-5 record and a playoff berth. He was the first interim to lead his team to a playoff berth since Bruce Arians did it with the Colts in 2012.
4
Brian Callahan
Callahan’s resume speaks for itself, especially when looking at the quarterbacks he’s worked with throughout his career and the recent success he’s had as the Bengals offensive coordinator. The son of Cleveland Browns offensive line coach, Bill Callahan, Brian has had close working relationships with Peyton Manning during his stint with the Denver Broncos while serving as the quarterbacks coach for Matthew Stafford (2016-2017) and Derek Carr (2018). His last three seasons have been with Joe Burrow as the Bengals lead one of the most explosive offensive attacks in the NFL. The biggest question mark would be what kind of staff he could put together, but he’s done some incredible things with the Bengals offense.
3
Ejiro Evero
Evero is young, 42, but he has plenty of experience coaching the NFL ranks to back up his resume. He’s been coaching in the NFL since 2007, and his recent stints with the Rams and Broncos have proven he’s a strong coach on the defensive side of the ball. He has plenty of connections around the league to build a strong staff, and he’s been highly regarded in terms of character and leadership. Reports have been extremely positive from his meetings with the Colts, including a reported 12-hour interview in person with the team’s brass.
2
Shane Steichen
Leading the Eagles offense into Super Bowl LVII is Steichen. If the Colts want to get their offense back into shape, he could very well be the man to get the job done. Though he’s young, 37, Steichen has been around plenty of winning organizations and has had success working with different quarterbacks (Philip Rivers, Justin Herbert, Jalen Hurts) during his coaching career. The Colts are reportedly traveling to Philly in order to get this interview in before the Super Bowl, which shows how strongly they feel about his candidacy.
1
Raheem Morris
Morris may be the leading man for the job. He has prior head coaching experience (2009-2011) with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It didn’t go so well, but he was a young coach and has a decade’s worth of experience and learning since then. Morris is a defensive mind but has worked extensively as a pass-game coordinator in the past. He has a lot of connections around the league and all reports seem to be that his players love competing for him. He’s also had two very successful interviews with the Colts.
