Colts contacted Fisher before Jim Caldwell was fired

AP

The picture to the right is the only time we’ll ever see Jeff Fisher wearing Colts garb.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports (via StampedeBlue.com) that the Colts contacted Fisher before Jim Caldwell was fired, but Fisher wasn’t interested in the job. It was before Fisher took the head coaching job with the Rams.

Bob Kravitz of the Indianapolis Star says the team had “limited” interest in Fisher before G.M. Ryan Grigson was on board.

The Colts made some strange moves while Caldwell was still their head coach.

They also interviewed Steve Spagnuolo for the defensive coordinator job with Caldwell in the room, and then fired Caldwell a day later.

It’s a little uncertain who else Grigson is interested in. ESPN’s Chris Mortensen mentioned Marc Trestman, who has been coaching in Canada. It’s unclear if Spagnuolo could be a

27 responses to “Colts contacted Fisher before Jim Caldwell was fired

  1. Looks like Colts are going total overhaul with Luck as the cornerstone of the new era.

    I expect Reggie Wayne (FA) to land on the same team as Peyton, whether it’s the Jets ,Miami or even Baltimore if Flacco really flubs it this weekend…

  2. Most of the time, I tend to think that teams are better off not making the glamor-puss hire at coach, preferring the in-the-trenches hires like Crennel in KC.

    But somehow I get the feeling that the Colts need to hire some kind of alpha coach. Someone to really lead the heck out of the team. If they can find such a person who’d be compatible with Manning, I have the feeling they’d improve their standing immensely. That, and a strong defensive coordinator would help.

    Basically, they need their Jimmy Johnson.

    I’ve said it before, but I think it’s a great shame that this team doesn’t have two or three Super Bowl rings. Manning’s talent, even with the string of winning seasons, has been wasted. Put him on the Giants, and he’d have three SB wins by now. I blame team management – it’s shameful.

  3. As a lifetime Colts fan…
    1. This is idiotic and disrespectful to Caldwell who they should have fired after the Superbowl loss
    2. Why Jeff Fisher?! He doesn’t fit what the Colts need to be doing.
    3. Fisher is a fool to not be interested

    So in conclusion, I highly doubt the veracity of this report. It’s either a rumor or a complete lie. Let’s do some fact checking PFT.

  4. All of you Ross haters please take note that other owners do the same thing that you rip Ross for. Maybe know you will cut him an inch of slack.

  5. Seems to me that drafting Peyton Manning is the only thing that organization has ever done right, and they could have just gotten lucky

  6. Well, let’s certainly hope it was before he accepted the Rams job. The best story woulda been if they contacted him yesterday, AFTER he took the Rams job.

  7. I feel like Andrew Luck might bust now and Colts will be back to being the Detroit Lions long before the Detroit Lions were the Detroit Lions. Karma.

  8. Peyton Manning getting hurt is the worst thing that may ever happen to this franchise, and to say they handled it poorly is the understatement of the year. Maybe they should beg Tony Dungy to come back.. that would at least make sense.

  9. “2. Why Jeff Fisher?! He doesn’t fit what the Colts need to be doing.
    3. Fisher is a fool to not be interested ”

    Apparently you don’t see the disconnect between your #2 and 3.

  10. Marc Trestman? Wow, remember him with the Niners, that is a reach. Enough with the recycled coaches, it is similar to Wall Street, all buddies who fail, but then get rehired somewhere else.

  11. Just looked up Trestman’s accomplishments – Coach of the Year in Canada for a couple of years. I recall he was with the Raiders too.

  12. Sounds like the Colts are in turmoil. Hopefully the new GM can set things straight and hire a good coaching staff.

    Just seems like there’s too much uncertainty with Manning to see the Colts return to form next year.

  13. Colts need a young and hungry John Harbaugh-type who will be there for the next 10 or 15 years, not some “big name” who just wants to pad their retirement accounts.

  14. It sounds more and more like the Colts are going to make a business decision and cut ties with Manning. They alsmost have to if Luck really is “that good” because it would make no sense to have him sit while they pay $28 mil to a guy that might not be significantly better on a really bad team (one without Wayne, a defense, and a run game … and maybe minus Jeff Saturday).

    I keep think Payton will look for another dome team … I just can’t think of any that would suit him.

  15. paleandpasty says:
    Jan 18, 2012 11:32 AM
    All of you Ross haters please take note that other owners do the same thing that you rip Ross for. Maybe know you will cut him an inch of slack.
    ___________________________________
    IF this is true…and I say IF because it doesn’t have any facts to back it up yet…all it really means is that it should garner the same level of derision as what Ross did, not that Ross should be excused.

  16. Trestman might work well. He came into a not-so-great situation in Montreal, and had the team as perennial championship contenders while he was here. The CFL game is very different than what he was used to, but he adapted immediately it seemed. He always seemed to be in control of the team & game situation, and hired good coordinators. I would not summarily dismiss him.

    Plus, if you want hungry; he got paid a CFL coach’s salary for the past few years. He should be hungry.

  17. Caldwell was never a good head coach. The team declined each year under him and once Peyton was gone he was really put under the spot light. This isn’t a shock and when does a team ever say anything honest?

  18. Waxedagain: You’re a fool. My point was that this story didn’t make sense on multiple levels, mainly that the Colts wanted Fisher but Fisher didn’t want the Colts. Don’t ever try to call me out again…. Clearly I was proven right.

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