When the Indianapolis Colts hired Jeff Saturday as interim head coach, Saturday became the first NFL head coach with no experience coaching at the pro or college level since 1960. Many have criticized Colts owner Jim Irsay’s decision to replace fired head coach Frank Reich for Saturday, including his former ESPN colleagues.
Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera became the latest to chastise Saturday’s hiring.
“Well, it is what it is,” Rivera said, per The Athletic’s Ben Standig. “I just think the disappointment of it is, there’s some veteran coaches that are on that staff, and there’s some minority coaches too that are all clamoring and working to try and get opportunities. But again, I get it, it’s his team, and the owner decided that’s what he wanted to do.”
Rivera is a former player as well. However, Rivera has an extensive resume coaching at the NFL level that started with him as a quality control coach with the Chicago Bears in 1997. He later became a linebackers coach with two teams and a defensive coordinator twice before getting his first head coach position with the Carolina Panthers in 2011.
Rivera got asked if his path to being a coach affected his opinion about Saturday getting the Colts’ job.
“A little bit,” Rivera answered. “I mean, it’s in the middle of the season. It’s something a little bit different. If this had been in January, it would’ve most certainly I think been even worse. But again, just because it happened now and it happened the way it did, yeah there’s some disappointment in it. But again, as I said, it’s [Irsay’s] team and it’s what he decided.”
Irsay has made decisions related to the Colts erratically in the past. Last month, quarterback Matt Ryan got benched for Sam Ehlinger, despite the Colts having a 3-3-1 record. Irsay reportedly played a role in that decision.
A week later, the Colts fired offensive coordinator Marcus Brady. Only one week passed before Reich got fired.
Jeff Saturday oversees a staff that features 14 coaches with at least ten years of experience, including defensive coordinator Gus Bradley and senior defensive assistant John Fox, who each were former NFL head coaches.
Former NFL players turned analysts such as Joe Thomas, Ryan Clark, and Marcus Spears have been critical of Saturday’s hiring. It’s a headscratcher. Only time will tell if the unorthodox move goes as expected or turns out to be bold and brilliant.
Still, forgive any current and former coaches that view Saturday’s appointment as a slap in the face to the profession.
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