The Indianapolis Colts were expected to be contenders this year, coming off a 9-8 season in which they had a strong defense and dominant rushing attack, the addition of Matt Ryan was supposed to open up the offense and make them favorites in the AFC South.
However, through nine weeks of the season the Colts are 3-5-1, Ryan has been benched for Sam Ehlinger (who has lost his first two starts with little in the way of success), and Indianapolis is two games back of the Titans in the division. Their most recent loss was a 26-3 drubbing at the hands of the Patriots, who couldn’t do much passing the ball themselves but smothered the Colts offense and eventually ran away with the win.
After firing offensive coordinator Marcus Brady a week ago in a last gasp effort to save his job, Frank Reich had no one else to blame on Monday morning and this time it was his turn to get a pink slip from Jim Irsay, as it was reported on Monday morning that the Colts had fired him after a 40-33-1 record in his five seasons in Indianapolis.
Frank Reich is out as the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/8Rat1EvNBk
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 7, 2022
Source: Frank Reich is fired.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) November 7, 2022
It’s not a shocking decision considering how this season has gone and how the Colts have seemingly gone backwards in the last couple years of Reich’s tenure, but given where expectations were prior to the season, it is not a move most anyone expected the Colts to be making this season.
The Colts now join the Panthers as teams that will be looking for new head coaches this offseason, but likely won’t be the only ones in a year where a number of teams are falling short of expectations.