Colts name Jeff Saturday Interim Head Coach

[AlwaysSunnyinIndy]

Take this with a huge grain of salt because it is written by Jason La Canfora who is not always the most reliable source of info (I think at times that he will write about rumors he hears without taking much time to verify them).

However, he is reporting the Colts locker room is not happy - both the remaining coaching staff and players.

Lots of players want out now.

That the reason why Parks Frazier is the play caller is because other members of the staff turned down the job.

Jeff Saturday may have his work cut out for him in winning over the locker room.

Link to article with a few excerpts below:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sport...aturday-colts/

Irsay had already mandated in Week 8 that developmental quarterback Sam Ehlinger, the 218th pick in 2021, replace borderline future Hall of Famer Matt Ryan. He oversaw the firing of offensive coordinator Marcus Brady days later, a power play some in the league believe is fueled by a lust for the first overall selection, which netted Irsay generational talents Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck in the past. (Numerous individuals who discussed the matter with members of the Colts staff and roster and who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive topic indicated that Irsay was behind these moves.)

“Frank never wanted to change QBs and if he was forced to do it and it was up to him, he would have gone to Nick Foles,” said a longtime confidant of Reich’s who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to reveal their private conversation. Reich “knew Ehlinger wasn’t ready to play. He would never fire Marcus Brady like that. Frank doesn’t fire anyone. That’s not how he operates. This is all Irsay. Frank will take the high road, and he won’t say anything about it. But that’s how it went down.”

One NFL general manager with ties to several key members of the Colts staff said in the immediate aftermath of Reich’s firing Monday — but before Saturday had been named the replacement — that the moves were “all premeditated. The owner is already on to next year. It’s already about next year. He’s tanking for a QB. It was obvious when he benched a $30 million guy for a guy who can’t play. That’s what this is about.”

Contacted again after Saturday was plucked from ESPN to take over this fractured football team, that general manager said: “I told you, he is doing whatever he can not to win.” (Irsay has rejected the accusation, telling the Athletic "That’s the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard, that we’re tanking,” and repeatedly calling it “bulls---.”)

Ryan and other veteran players were irate when informed of the Reich-for-Saturday swap by General Manager Chris Ballard, who told them this came directly from the owner, according to multiple individuals who discussed this with Colts players but were not authorized to speak for them. Several players said privately that they did not want to play there anymore; Irsay waited until after the trade deadline to pull this trick.

Not surprisingly, Saturday had great difficulty finding anyone willing to take over as offensive coordinator and call plays Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders. His top pick, quarterbacks coach Scott Milanovich (like Reich, a former University of Maryland star), turned it down, according to individuals with knowledge of the situation. The newbie finally settled on another novice to give it a shot: Parks Frazier, 30, the Colts’ assistant quarterbacks coach, who has no history running an offense.

“I’ve talked to coaches there, and they are all like, ‘What the f--- just happened?” said an individual who has worked with members of the Colts staff and remains in close contact with them but who spoke on the condition of anonymity when discussing private conversations. Irsay “had three guys he could have promoted who could have done the job and he hires a guy off his couch from ESPN? Trust me, inside that building they know this is an absolute waterfall of s--. The coaches and players know this is a total tank job. That’s what they’re all talking about.”

“Jeff has a huge problem with that staff already,” said one longtime agent who has discussed the matter with Colts players and coaches. “The owner just threw that staff completely under the bus. He could have helped Jeff if he handled it the right way, but Irsay completely butchered this. Everything he said was a smack in the face to the coaching profession in many ways. His comments were atrocious to the coaching fraternity, and now Jeff is supposed to be their boss. I don’t see how that’s supposed to work.”