Suddenly, Jeff Saturday is exactly where he’s supposed to be.
The former Tar Heel football center will be the first to admit he had a fairy-tale career, always too small to become a two-time All-ACC center on Mack Brown’s last two teams of his first tour here. And then working as an electrical-supply salesman when he wasn’t drafted by an NFL team.
Former UNC teammate Nate Hobgood-Chittick was on the Indianapolis Colts roster in 1999 when they needed a back-up center and suggested they call Saturday in for a tryout. Thirteen years later, he had snapped the ball thousands of times to Peyton Manning, including a Super Bowl win in 2007.
For the last 10 years, since retiring in 2013 and having his name placed in the Colts’ famed Ring of Honor, Saturday planned to just enjoy life, coaching high school football, working for ESPN on the weekends and serving as an analyst on the Tar Heel Sports Network.
On Monday, he got a new job as interim head coach of the Colts, who had fired Frank Reich earlier in the day after a dismal 26-3 loss, their third straight, to the Patriots on Sunday. Racked by injuries and playing a second-year quarterback, the Colts have also fired anyone who has ever called a play in an NFL game. Jeff was already serving as a consultant for his old team.
But, in this obviously lost season, that’s not why they hired Saturday. They need someone who can literally keep the roster, and the franchise, together while the Colts figure out a plan moving forward into the coming off-season and for 2023. Saturday has everything required to do that.
Whoever takes the field for the Colts’ remaining eight games will play hard and with pride and help the team anyway they can. Saturday will say that is not optional and remind the players that their NFL futures are at stake. He will also hold the coaching staff together and work with ownership and management to bring in the short-term sideline help needed.
He will be respected by the players and, when necessary, be tough with them. A four-time All-Pro and six-time Pro Bowler, Saturday has every skill needed to keep his finger in the dyke. He probably won’t want, or get, the permanent coaching job, but without a doubt he is the man for this emergency role, and the Colts were smart to recognize that and reach out.
While he may end up in the front office with the team or return to the easier life of prep coaching and broadcasting, Saturday will leave the Colts better than the mess he found them in as the best hire they could possibly make.
Featured image via Allsport/Doug Pensinger
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Art …. you did not mention (1) the other former UNC O-lineman Arthur Smith HC w/ the Falcons … OR (2) former UNC Asst Coach for Butch Davis – Chuck Pagano who was a former Colts HC 5-6 years ago.