Getty Indianapolis Colts head coach Frank Reich announced a major change to the team's coaching staff on November 1.
The Indianapolis Colts have yet to make any significant changes to their roster on NFL trade deadline day. But the Colts did announce a major change to their coaching staff.
The Colts have fired offensive coordinator Marcus Brady.
“This was an incredibly hard decision, but one I felt needed to be made in the best interest of the team,” Colts head coach Frank Reich said in a statement. “I appreciate Marcus’s commitment to the organization, and he made a significant contribution to our offensive success over the last five seasons. I wish him the best moving forward.”
Frank Reich: “Incredibly hard decision, but one I felt needed to be made in the best interest of the team. I appreciate Marcus’s commitment to the organization, and he made a significant contribution to our offensive success over the last 5 seasons. I wish him the best.”
Brady first served as assistant quarterbacks coach and quarterbacks coach under former Colts offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni. When Sirianni left Indianapolis to become the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles prior to the 2021 season, the Colts promoted Brady to offensive coordinator.
In one and a half seasons with Brady as the Indianapolis offensive coordinator, the Colts averaged 23.2 points per game and 344.6 yards per game.
Indianapolis will not replace Brady for the remainder of 2022.
Colts Moving on From OC Marcus Brady
The Colts offense performed well under Brady in his first season as offensive coordinator during 2021. Indianapolis finished last year ninth in points scored, 16th in yards and eighth in fewest giveaways.
Brady’s unit was particularly good on the ground in 2021, as Jonathan Taylor won the rushing title. The Colts were second in rushing yards, second in rushing yards per carry and fifth in rushing touchdowns last season.
The fact Brady’s offense did this with Carson Wentz behind center looked even more impressive on paper when the Colts blamed their terrible finish to last season on the quarterback.
But a little like the Indianapolis offense during the final two weeks of last season, the Colts have struggled with turnovers and scoring points this season.
The Colts initially placed all the blame on new quarterback Matt Ryan, as they benched the veteran last week. Now, Brady is sharing the blame.
Indianapolis is 30th in points scored with 129 this season. The Colts haven’t been great at moving the ball, as they are 18th in yards, but the biggest issue has been giveaways. Indianapolis’ 16 turnovers have the team ranked 30th in giveaways this season.
The dominant rushing attack Indianapolis had is gone too. The Colts are 29th in rushing yards, 29th in rushing yards per carry and 30th in rushing touchdowns.
Colts Miss Sirianni?
It’s important to note that Reich calls plays for the Colts offense. He was the play caller when the team went to the playoffs in 2020 with Philip Rivers as quarterback and has called plays the last two years with Wentz and Ryan behind center.
There’s another important issue to note that The Athletic’s Zak Keefer explored on Twitter after the Colts announced Brady’s firing.
We underestimated this at the time, but Colts lost a heck of an offensive mind when Nick Sirianni left to take the Eagles job in 2021. Though Reich calls the plays, Sirianni had a huge role in game planning/scheming/play scripts. Colts’ offense hasn’t been the same since.
It was a slow start for the Eagles in 2021 once Sirianni became head coach. At the end of November last year, Philadelphia was 5-7. But the Eagles rallied to make the playoffs last season and are the only remaining undefeated team in 2022.
Under Sirianni’s direction, the Eagles are third in points scored, third in yards, first in fewest giveaways, sixth in rushing yards and 10th in passing yards this season. They are also 11-1 in their last 12 regular season games.
Keefer tweeted that Sirianni played a huge role in game planning and play scripts while offensive coordinator of the Colts. That’s one of the areas where Indianapolis’ offense has struggled the most this season.
The Colts have scored only 10 points in the first quarters of games, and a muffed punt set up their lone first-quarter touchdown this season.