Owner Jim Irsay and general manager Ryan Grigson appear to be serious about their rebuilding project. The Indianapolis Colts announced on Jan. 19 that ten assistant coaches are leaving the team for a variety of reasons.
With 10 more assistant coaches leaving the Indianapolis Colts, we may be saying good bye to Peyton Manning soon, too.
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The Minnesota Vikings have hired former Colts defensive backs coach Alan Williams to be their new defensive coordinator. Williams spent 10 seasons with the Colts.
Linebackers coach Mike Murphy has announced his retirement. Murphy has spent 27 years in the NFL, the last 14 in Indianapolis. He served as the Colts' defensive coordinator over the final five games of the season after Larry Coyer was fired.
The final eight coaches have all been dismissed by the team. Those coaches are Devin Fitzsimmons (coaching assistant), Pete Metzelaars (offensive line), Rod Perry (special assistant to the defense), Frank Reich (wide receivers), John Teerlinck (defensive line), Bill Teerlinck (defensive assistant), Jon Torine (strength and conditioning) and Ron Turner (quarterbacks).
John and Bill Teerlinck are, respectively, father and son.
This leaves just nine of the 20 original coaches who began the disastrous 2011 season still remaining with the team. Of course, the team's vice chairman, Bill Polian, its general manager, Chris Polian, and head coach, Jim Caldwell, have all been fired already. Grigson was recently hired as the new GM of the Colts.
I'm happy to see the housecleaning continue. I imagine that when the Colts secure a new head coach, the remaining nine assistants will be evaluated and could be on their way out of Indianapolis, too.
It's the right time to tear down and rebuild, although the process won't be pleasant. That's the nature of the NFL, though. Teams get windows of opportunities, and they better make the best of them before the sands of time run out. Believe it or not, the New England Patriots used to be horrible. So did the New Orleans Saints. The Buffalo Bills used to be great, as did the Cleveland Browns. The San Francisco 49ers were awful for years, then dominated the 1980s, then were awful for years, and are now preparing to play in the NFC Championship game. It's a cyclical way of life in the NFL.
We've had a heck of a run over the past decade or so with this core of Colts players and coaches, but this past season illustrates in excruciatingly clear fashion that our window of opportunity is closed.
Here in central Indiana, we've become accustomed to winning. We've become accustomed to Jeff Saturday snapping the ball to Peyton Manning, who then puts a perfectly-placed pass in the hands of Reggie Wayne for a touchdown. All of them have made it look easy, but the 2012 Colts team could very well be without all three. The faces of the team and the Colts' winning ways have been such foregone conclusions for fans that it's difficult to imagine NFL life without them.
When Manning can't suit up and the entire team goes from Super Bowl runner-up to the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft in just two seasons, though, it's a pretty good indicator that it's time to rebuild. Something is vastly amiss with a team that collapses so quickly and completely in the absence of one player.
We all hold our breath now and wait for March 8, when Manning's $28 million bonus is due. Is he healthy? Is he not? Will he stay? Will he go? No one, not even Rob Lowe, knows the answers at this point.
From a fan's perspective, I'd like to see Manning stick around Indianapolis. He's been a great quarterback and an outstanding asset to the community. I certainly understand the business aspect of it, as well as what is likely Manning's desire for another run at a Super Bowl ringâ€"which he certainly won't get in Indianapolis during his playing careerâ€"but in my perfect world, I'd like the Colts to draft Andrew Luck, have him play behind Manning for a year or two, and then Manning retires, becomes a quarterbacks coach or an offensive coordinator or something for Indianapolis, and Luck takes over as the starter.
Imagining Manning in a New York Jets uniformâ€"or any other team's jersey besides the Colts'â€"is like imagining Johnny Unitas with the San Diego Chargers. But as the gutting process continues at Colts headquarters, it's a distinct possibility that we won't see No. 18 in blue and white anymore. If that happens, it's going to hurt.
But it's all part of the circle of NFL life.
The author is a Featured Contributor in Sports for the Yahoo! Contributor Network. He is a resident of central Indiana and a longtime Colts fan. You can follow him on Twitter at @RedZoneWriting and on Facebook.
Also by this author:
Jim Caldwell fired, peace restored in Indianapolis
Jim Caldwell's genius: Colts just need to get better
New Indianapolis Colts GM has Arena Football League ties
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