Former Colts coach Frank Reich, fired after nine games in 2022, has landed on his feet in Carolina. The Colts are happy about that.
The team’s twitter account has congratulated Reich. Owner Jim Irsay did, too.
And it’s not just false praise. The Colts and Irsay have reason to be happy. With Reich getting another head-coaching job, the buyout for Reich dropped dramatically if not evaporated completely.
Irsay has saved millions, the same way Panthers owner David Tepper saved millions when Matt Rhule became the head coach at Nebraska.
The Colts and Irsay might not be as happy if, for example, Reich beats the Colts when they play in 2023. Or if the Panthers thrive under Reich, and the Colts struggle under, for example, Jeff Saturday.
In fact, it’s fair to wonder whether Reich getting hired so quickly could prompt Irsay to shy away from giving Saturday a chance to continue his on-the-job training. It won’t look very good for Irsay if Reich’s Panthers win the division — and if the Colts go 3-14 — next year.
So maybe Reich getting hired not only will save Irsay plenty of money but also prompt him to not entrust the permanent gig to someone whose best qualification comes from the fact that he got an eight-game interim audition with no qualifications.