The Colts are making a clean break with the men that directed their 2-14 season.
The team announced Tuesday that Jim Caldwell has been “released” as head coach. Less than a week after officially replacing the Polian clan, new Colts G.M. Ryan Grigson ultimately chose a fresh start over continuity.
It was believed that Caldwell’s relationship with Peyton Manning could have saved him. The thinking was that the Colts wouldn’t want to entirely scrap the offense if Manning was going to return.
The problem with that theory: No one knows if Manning is ever going to play football again. Even if Manning does play, we don’t know yet whether he’d accept being on the same team with presumptive No. 1 pick Andrew Luck.
It didn’t make sense to keep Caldwell without knowing Manning’s status. Perhaps the Colts already know what they will do with Manning, but it’s also possible they honestly don’t know if Manning will play again. If the Colts really want to keep Manning, dropping Caldwell shouldn’t be a deal breaker.
In many ways, Manning is the Colts offensive system. If Manning does get healthy and remains on the roster, we’re sure the Colts can find a coach that can build around his talents.
Then again, perhaps Grigson will usher in an entirely new era of Colts football. There definitely will be a new General Manager and a new head coach.
We’ll have to wait to find out whether there is a new quarterback.