Jim Irsay probably made his decision to hire Jeff Saturday as the Colts’ head coach somewhere around Matthew Judon’s second of three sacks.
In an extensive feature story on Irsay’s shocking decision to poach Saturday from the analyst desk to the sidelines, ESPN’s Stephen Holder reveals the Colts owner made two phone calls to the franchise great during and after the Patriots’ 26-3 rout.
Irsay’s made his first call in the middle of the game to ask Saturday why the offensive line was struggling so badly, Holder reports. The Patriots sacked 2021 sixth-round pick and improbable starter Sam Ehlinger nine times in the ugly affair. Irsay presumably thought Saturday, who made the Pro Bowl six times as a center, would have some insight.
Later that night, Irsay called Saturday to gauge his interest in becoming interim coach. On Monday, the Colts fired Frank Reich.
"Shocked would be an understatement,” said Saturday about Irsay’s interest.
Along with working at ESPN, Saturday was a consultant for the Colts.
The Patriots have a long history of breaking the Colts. After all, Indianapolis is responsible for running the worst trick play of all-time against the Patriots.
Add directly contributing to Saturday’s hire as another bullet point on the list. Then again, the Colts won Sunday, and Saturday out-coached Josh McDaniels.
The Colts were so broken after playing the Patriots, they could only go up.