Getty NFL Insider Ian Rapoport updated the job status for Indianapolis Colts head coach Frank Reich on October 30.
It’s been a rough start to the season for the Indianapolis Colts and head coach Frank Reich.
The Colts were expected to compete for a playoff spot and even a Super Bowl title this season. But through seven games, they sit outside the playoff picture at 3-3-1.
Now entering Week 8, the Colts have benched veteran quarterback Matt Ryan and will start second-year signal caller Sam Ehlinger against the Washington Commanders. It’s a decision some reporters have hinted came from owner Jim Irsay.
Frank Reich says he and Chris Ballard had a long conversation with Jim Irsay last night. Stopped short of saying it was Irsay’s decision, but Irsay has been increasingly involved behind the scenes of late.
The whole situation has opened the door on speculation that Reich is on the hot seat. The Athletic’s Bob Kravitz wrote on October 28 that Reich “needs the greatest comeback of his career if he hopes to save his job.”
But NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport wasn’t so drastic when reporting on Reich and the Colts on October 30.
“Multiple sources say Reich is in no trouble at all,” Rapoport wrote. “His job status is best described as ‘safe,’ sources say, and in good shape.”
Argument to Keep Reich as Colts Head Coach
As much as the Colts have struggled this season, a pretty strong argument can be made to keep Reich as head coach beyond 2022.
He owns a 40-31-1 record as head coach in Indianapolis. His four-plus seasons isn’t a huge sample size, but Reich’s .563 win percentage is ahead of Hall of Fame coaches Marv Levy, Mike Ditka and Jimmy Johnson.
Of course, all of those coaches had success in January. Reich has yet to have much of that. He last won a playoff game in his first season with the Colts in 2018.
But the franchise should take into account the impact the loss of Andrew Luck had on Reich and the rest of the organization. It’s been an unexpected quarterback carousel since Luck’s retirement.
The only losing season Reich has posted as a head coach was in 2019, and Luck surprisingly retired in August of that year.
“Mostly, Reich has managed the team through a series of challenges and has come out standing tall,” wrote Rapoport.
Reich Could Still Be on Thin Ice?
It will be interesting to see if any Colts insiders verify Rapoport’s latest report. Kravitz was far from convinced Reich “is safe” when writing his column a couple days prior to Rapoport’s report.
Kravitz argued that “somebody is going to take the fall for what’s lining up as a disastrous football season” in Indianapolis. He wrote that it will be Reich and not general manager Chris Ballard.
The longtime Colts columnist also questioned whether Reich could be losing the locker room over the team’s quarterback situation.
“A lot of eyes are rolling in the Colts locker room,” Kravitz wrote. “They’ve tried to choose their words carefully, but it’s readily apparent to anybody with rudimentary observational skills: This is not a universally popular move.
“Check that: This is an unpopular move. The players and coaches are blown away, shocked, stunned, you name it.”
Furthermore, like Rapoport, Kravitz argued the quarterback carousel has hurt Reich, but the columnist implied the head coach has played a role in the turnstile behind center.
“He’s made his mistakes, the most notable being his championing of Wentz,” wrote Kravitz.
Obviously, the biggest way for Reich to assure his players he’s (and whomever else involved in the change) made the right decision at quarterback and convince his owner he should keep his job is to win.
The Colts will have an opportunity to move back above .500 on October 30 against the Commanders.