After years of hedging and wavering between making coaching or front office changes, the Colts are preparing to conduct a coaching search this week, with sources close to Chuck Pagano saying the head coach expects to be relieved of his duties after the season.
Owner Jim Irsay nearly made this move twice in recent years, and with the franchise struggling and the future of Andrew Luck in doubt and with rookie general manager Chris Ballard embarked on a long-term reshaping of the organization, more changes are coming in 2018, league sources indicated. Ballard has strong ties to two members of the Chiefs coaching staff, who he worked with prior to getting the job in Indianapolis last season, both of whom are expected to merit consideration for the coaching job.
Special teams coach Dave Toub has interviewed for several openings in recent years, has a strong endorsement from Chiefs well-respected coach Andy Reid and is a lead Ballard thinks highly of. Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, who assumed more play calling duties this season and is thought of as one of the stronger first-time head coach options on that side of the ball, is also someone the Colts and others will want to talk to. Recent Reid coordinator Doug Pederson is doing great work in Philadelphia and Ballard is comfortable working with these two coaches already.
Irsay, who has dabbled with splashy hires like Sean Payton or Jim Harbaugh in recent years, may be of the mindset that he needs a bigger name to help push this franchise back in the right direction (and help sell some tickets at a time when Luck's murky future clouds everything else in the franchise). The ability to land such a coach is under question as well, however, given the uncertainty of their quarterback.